Ghosts
by Xdemon-alchemistX
Summary: She couldn’t live without him but now she was being forced to. The Enterprise has been destroyed, Kirk and Uhura are the only survivors... or are they? Danger awaits in the shadows, and all is not what it seems. Spock/Uhura my first Star Trek fic
1. Prologue

**Hello Everyone! Nice to meet you! I'm a newbie to Star Trek fandom, only seeing the movie and loving it (though my dad used to watch the Next Generation when I was a kid, which I found boring...ah sorry!) I'm also a huge fan of Spock/Uhura and have been wanting to write a fanfic regarding them and the the whole team for aaages, but- as I'm a Star Trek newbie, I'm a bit worried about characterization and terminology, if I get something wrong please let me know (^_^) **

**I sincerely hope you enjoy my story and will please review! Thank you and have fun!**

**Ghosts.**

Prologue.

_She couldn't move._

_The sweat dripped down her back, her pupils were dilated and she could hear her breath coming in deeply but sharply, painfully. She knew all these things, and yet she was detached from herself as if it couldn't be happening. Yet deep down inside she knew, terribly, horrificly, that it was._

'_No…' she heard somebody say, perhaps it was her, it was a woman at least 'NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! NO!'_

_Another voice, male this time, definitely not hers 'DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY SHIP! IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO IT, I SWEAR IT'LL BE THE LAST ORDER YOU EVER-' a thud, and grunt of pain, loud clattering noises… and the other voice was silenced._

'_CAPTAIN KIRK!' Yes, there was no mistaking it was her, the high shriek, the fear, the desperation in her voice- it was something she knew she would come to relive over and over again._

_What could she do, what could she do? How could she stop it? She had to! She had to do something, anything._

'_It is too late for you now, we have had enough of your foolish attempts at peace, at your laughable threats. We no longer need you or your precious ship. You are unnecessary, and shall therefore be eradicated.' a deep hissing voice echoed in her head, causing her to shriek in pain, fall to her knees…she had to stop this happening…she had to stop it!_

_She couldn't stop it._

_She watched as her friends, her ship, her home…the only man she would ever love- dissolved from existence right before her eyes. No echoing blast, no explosion, nothing that would denote the fact that her whole life was being destroyed. It should have ended differently, if it had to have ended at all. The Universe should have been ripped to shreds, explosions should have roared throughout space, thunder and lightning should have crackled, shattering everything that ever lived and stopped anything from living ever again the very second that the Enterprise was eliminated._

_Her heart may had not left that ship…and now she knew she would never get it back._

_They had vanished._

_They had all gone._

_They were all... dead._

***

The prologue is short but the other chapters will be much longer, and there's a reason why it's in italics! Thank you for reading, please review! (^_^)


	2. We are the Haunted

**As promised, here's the much longer first chapter! I'm a bit worried about my characterization...this is how I percieve their characters anyway, I hope you like them. **

**Please review! It really encourages me, I know loads of you have put me on story alert- it couldn't hurt to review aswell could it? (^_^) I thank you for putting me on story alert and reading too! And to those who reviewed thank you! Enjoy!**

**Chapter One- We are the Haunted.**

Nyota Uhura did not know if she was screaming in the dream, or she was screaming when she woke. It occurred to her it was probably both.

Every night, every night it happened. Every night she relived the nightmare she so desperately wished to forget. Two months…two long months since it had happened and yet every time she woke, it was as if had just happened.

It sometimes felt like her whole heart and soul had been torn out, and she was now only body. At other times it felt as though they were still half-there, but the half that remained was not content, and was in constant screaming agony- desperately longing to be whole again. Like the ocean waves, the experience kept lapping at the shore of her conscious mind, slowly and painfully eroding who and what she once was.

There were times she was numb, that was normally the day time, perhaps the sunlight was trying to show her that life still went on- perhaps the busy day left no time to dwell on those thoughts. She could bury them for the most part…when she was busy, and she tried so very hard to stimulate her mind, just for those moments where it all seemed less unbearable. That was why she had moved to San Francisco city and became a Professor of Linguistics at the local University, away from Starfleet, but not back to her homeland. She was stuck in a limbo, a no-mans-land, she could not go back to either life.

She was no longer Lieutenant Uhura, she no longer wanted to be. She had given up a life amongst the stars, as there were too many whispers, too many memories in space. She could not go back to the United States of Africa, as she wanted to run away but was too afraid- and she wasn't a woman normally afraid- of just how far she would run if she _really _started, and just how long it would take for the ghosts to inevitably catch up with her when she did.

And then there were the times her bravado crumbled, and she wept and screamed and her body shook violently with grief. They were often times at night. Sometimes after those dreams and sometimes when she was at her most vulnerable, most susceptible to the memories of who once slept beside her, who once held her tightly, who once caressed her cheeks and whispered gently to her whilst she slept.

The sunlight tried to remind her life went on, but in the darkness, she knew her life was spiritually over, even if she was still physically present.

***

She liked to run.

On the weekends, there was no school, so she did what she could to keep her mind and body active. The hills of San Francisco required a great amount of effort to run on, but she found herself gaining stamina as time went on. She also found herself taking martial arts classes and yoga. All were supposed to keep her calm, focused on her _'centre'_. If the thought wasn't too painful, she would have sworn she was getting to be rather Vulcan-like in her ways.

But she grew attached to no one. She didn't ever feel like she could, after all, how could she ever grow to value, to like, to love anybody when she didn't feel like she belonged anywhere, when half of herself felt no longer present? She had…companions, acquaintances, the other university professors, who she spent time with at local bars. It went nothing beyond that.

Running with her HDMP3 helped also, as she was able to focus on the music and well as her movements. She liked to match the tempo of the song with the pace of her steps as she ran. That often required an extra amount of effort that could not be obtained through listening to her surroundings. She didn't like listening to life anyway, when she was running- life was a reminder of loss, a distraction. When she ran the world, though clearly and physically visible, seemed to disappear and it was just her, the road and the music that pounded through her mind- removing all thoughts.

Routine helped her, comforted her, but also reminded her of the organised habits she had in her innocent, ignorant Academy days.

Exercise helped her build outer strength as well as inner strength and she came to think of herself as a survivor, of a person both doomed and blessed to carry on in life despite the tragedies that befell her- and she would carry on. At times of empowerment that were fairly few and far between, she thought that _he, _without a doubt, would wish her to not only survive but to _live_.

Perhaps she would live one day, but for now she was complacent with being a survivor.

It was on such a typical weekend day, two months and two days after she had been forced from living into survival, that she found herself going about her usual exercise routine. _Breathe, run, listen to the beat, breathe, run, follow the beat, run, run, _step after step, letting the beat control her. It occurred to her that running was like a dance, and in her former life she had loved the vivaciousness of dance. Ghosts manifested themselves in many different ways.

Some ghosts, however, were more prominent then others and certainly more forceful in their ways. Indeed the unsuspecting Uhura had no idea of the poltergeists waiting for her as she efficiently carried out her exercise regime, revelling in the few moments of peace that her day to day so-called life occasionally allowed.

It was roughly fifteen minutes into her run and she was gradually building up momentum, the exercise being far from over, when her HDMP3, on random, finished a rather up-tempo beat and switched, rather abruptly, to a very soft Vulcan Lyre piece she didn't remember uploading in the past couple of months.

She stopped dead in her tracks, feeling her chest rise and fall dramatically, the beautiful instruments resonance pouring into her ears, invading her mind and within seconds, her peace was shattered.

***

'_That was beautiful _Commander_.' She immediately sung his praises with her usual hint of teasing, as he finished the song, feeling tears in the corners of her eyes. 'I hope you'll play some more for me in the future!'_

'_I am glad you thought so Cadet.' He replied coolly, as if he hadn't just blown her away with his incredible talent. Over the years that she had been taught by him, she realised that he was being modest, that this was not a symbol of his Vulcan upbringing. She noted the tiny glitter in his eyes, he had been… shy and she knew he was now relieved, perhaps even proud that she was highly impressed at his musical skills. She watched as his eyes swept up to the clock behind her, gracefully, elegantly, 'it appears we have over-run our tutoring session. Our last tutoring session. Your progress has been astounding in these three years, and I have no doubt in your superior xenolinguistic abilities.'_

_Uhura frowned, the knowledge that this was their last ever session wounded her, filled her with a wistful melancholy, and at the same time she delighted by his praise. 'Aw, I see. Well- Spock- I don't really mind that we overran, but if you're busy the I'm sorr-'_

_He spoke quicker than usual 'I am not busy Nyota, but I thank you for your consideration.'_

_She stood up as he said her name, the way he perfectly pronounced it always created a physical reaction from her with she desperately tried to suppress, trying to ignore the blatant sexual tension that seemed to be radiating off her and prayed that he wouldn't pick up on it. She was suddenly fully aware that he too had stood up behind her, was dangerously close to her, that she could hear him breathing and it sent a tingling sensation up her spine. _

He's your teacher, he's your teacher, he's your teacher _she repeated, but it made no difference, she had fallen too far by now, too deeply to- ironically enough- listen to logic. In actuality, now that their sessions had ended, classes had ended, and she was graduating in a week, she was technically no longer his student._

'_Is there something erroneous with the temperature of my office?' Spock inquired, his voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she turned back around to face him._

DAMN HIS EYES! HIS EYES ARE HYPNOTIC POOLS OF SEXINESS! DON'T LOOK DIRECTLY AT THEM! _Her youthful mind screamed as she was entranced by the deep brown, almost black eyes before her. _Damn it!

'_What?' She replied intelligently._

'_You appear to have shivered, denoting that the temperature does not adequately suit your levels of comfort.' He did not appear moved by their sudden eye contact on the outside, but surely…surely he must be, deep down. She knew Vulcans weren't emotionless, the truth was far from that stereotype. Did he feel something…for her?_

'_Oh no, I'm fine, besides if I'd have found your office cold, you would be catching some sort of hypothermia by now wouldn't you?' She grinned playfully. 'After all you're far hotter then your average human.'_

_She froze, hoping he really wouldn't infer what she had accidentally implied. The heat rose to her face and she felt just about ready to die._

'_Indeed.' He replied as stoic as ever, and she had to fight to exhale a sigh of intense relief 'Well then, goodnight Cadet Uhura.'_

'_Good night, Commander Spock.'_

_She left his office and leaned against the door, her heart pounding in her chest, blood reverberating in her ears. So many emotions had caused a slight dizzying sensation in her mind. From being so deeply moved by his beautiful piece of music, then amused at their quite playful banter, following a brief-but oh so powerful- moment of pure lust, all the way to mortification. All after a very energy consuming final tutoring session, she felt just about ready to pass out._

_She did not know how long she stood there but it might have been a few minutes because, without a cue, the door slid open and she found herself falling backwards- straight into her tutors chest._

'_Oh!' She started as she crashed into him. He prevented her from falling over further by holding on to each of her shoulders. In all the months, years she had spent time with him in, they had never once been this physically close. There had been moments, hands touched, shoulders rested against each other, legs brushed shyly yet daringly- causing her to hope, but sometimes cause her to believe she was going crazy with infatuation- that her brain was fabricating things. Like a starving girl in a desert, these moments were her oasis, but she wondered if the oasis was a mirage._

'_Cadet?' He questioned as if she wasn't really there, his hands were still on her shoulders. She wasn't about to remove them._

'_I'm sorry I was just resting.' She explained lamely, appalled with what had just transpired, and wondering what it was about this man that made her become so frustrating idiotic in front of him sometimes- besides from her amazing academic accomplishments of course._

'_Are your quarters dissatisfactory? I would advise you to make a complaint to your advisor, if the door to my office provides more comfort.' He was teasing her, and he still hadn't let go. Gaila would have said that, in Vulcan-to-Human translations, he might as well have been feeling her up. The thought was not entirely horrifying. In fact it was the opposite. It thrilled her… but perhaps it was simply concern on his part?_

'_No.' She span around, determined to save some dignity. Sliding out of his grasp, reluctantly, now truly feeling cold, she gazed at him with a fixed and defiant stare. If she had been six years old she would have been crossing her arms and poking out her tongue, for now she settled with a sassy hand-on-hip action. 'It has just been a long day, I needed to conserve energy before making the trip back to my room.'_

'_Would you like to sit down?'_

'_No, I have taken up enough of your time and I'm not really that tired.' She didn't want him to think of her as being weak. She knew within herself that she was far from it._

'_My time is not currently consumed by other matters, as I mentioned previously. It may do well for you to at least have a glass of water before you go. My quarters are not a far excursion, and would not waste a lot of your energy.'_

_Spock's quarters…Spock's bedroom…Spock's bed…Spock in bed…Spock in bed with her. His invitation had been the straw that broke the camels back._

'_Spock, are you attracted to me?'_

_His eyebrows raised dramatically, if for a moment, before his Vulcan side took over and hid what was blatantly shock at her frankness._

_After some time he responded. 'You are…physically appealing. Many other Cadets have commented on this.' He replied, his muscles were strained, as if there was some kind of inner struggle going on- this was not going to be easy 'I fail to see how this corresponds to our previous topic of discuss-'_

'_Yes, yes, other people find me attractive, I don't care what they think.' She cut across him, swallowed nervously, and realised that it was now or never lowering her voice, she carried on 'But I care what you think. More then any other person I've ever met.' _

_There was a moment of agonising silence before he replied. 'This could be deemed an inappropriate course of discussion.'_

'_It could be, and please- don't quote regulations. It's just, I'm a third year now, you've been teaching me for _three _years, if I wanted to be with you only to get a grade- don't you think I would have done it by now?' _

_He seemed to genuinely consider her point, as his eyes had grown slightly distant, deep in concentration and Uhura felt incredibly proud of herself. After another moment of silence, he replied in his usual logical manner. 'You make a valid argument Cadet.'_

'_I'm graduating in a week, I know I haven't yet but I felt I would explode if I didn't tell you. I mean _I've _been holding back my feelings for years because I respected you and the rules too much. But now I feel that I don't need to, we've finished being student and teacher, and like I said, I'm graduating in a week.' She inhaled deeply 'Spock, I have feelings for you that go far beyond student and teacher, further beyond friendship even…but how do you feel about me?'_

_He didn't reply, his eyebrows creased. She took a chance, raised her hand and touched the side of his face, caressing his cheek, and was both surprised and thrilled when he slowly, and almost tenderly, leaned into her touch._

'_Spock?' She dropped her voice, it was softer, loving, one of the sides of herself she had wanted to show him, and him only, for so long._

'_I have found you to be a fascinating, intelligent, and…deeply alluring woman. And I wish to spend more time with you in the future, if you would permit it.' His voice was clear and true, and- as the words dripped from his pale lips- Uhura found herself falling even more in love with him. But his words, and the way he stared at her, so intensely, as if her were connecting to her very being through such a seemingly simple act, arose a different and more urgent feel within her._

'_I would like that very much.' She smiled at him affectionately, as heartfelt as she possibly could, her eyes sparkling with the warmth of a successful, united and requited love. Her thumb stroked his cheek gently whilst her fingers ran carefully over the tips of his ears._

'_Nyota.' He whispered her name in a way he never had done before, suddenly full of emotion, and whilst this caused her eyes to widen, her breath to quicken- the lids of eyes drooped and he brought his own hand to meet hers, leading it down his face, to his warm, soft lips- leaning into her palm, kissing it tenderly. Nyota nearly whimpered in delight, up until this point- this was the most erotic moment of her life._

'_Spock.' She replied, copying his tone. He opened his eyes again and searched for something in her own Earth-coloured orbs. She knew her answer, and nodded slowly._

_It was in that moment that their longing finally ended, and they shared in the silent promise of their first kiss. _

_It began slowly, slightly unsurely, like stepping off of a transporter and onto new soil for the first time. This feeling did not last long however, as Uhura wrapped her arms around her former teacher, and blanket of darkness surrounded her as her eyes closed. And all she knew was his body and her own, pressed tightly against each other, and the sensations he created as he held her waist, as they massaged their lips against the each other. She trembled._

_When they parted, purely for oxygen-related reasons, he rested his forehead against hers. She knew this to be a deep and highly significant Vulcan gesture and her whole being seemed to elevate beyond mere happiness. She swallowed down her own awe and took a deep breath._

'_I wonder…_Commander_, whether or not the invitation to your quarters is still open?' She grinned and raised her eyebrow suggestively._

_The corners of his mouth twitched and he displayed his far superior eyebrow raising abilities (_Nobody on Earth could match that talent _Uhura thought amused)_. _'I believe it is _Cadet_.' _

'_Good.' She replied firmly, kissing him again._

_***_

With a cry of both shock and grief, she tore the headphones away from her ears. Her music player was tugged along with it and the both went skidding to the ground, shattering against the concrete.

'SHIT!' she cursed dropping to her knees and scooping up her damaged equipment, Uhura noticed that memory card was missing and she noticed it had flung itself into the alley next to her. She went over to it and began repairing the injured player, trying to focus on that activity and that activity only. She would not cry, no matter what she had just been violently forced into remembering, she would not cry. Not here, not now.

At that moment she felt a hand reach out and hold her own. Suddenly very aware she was in an alley, and knowing fully well what stereotypically occurred between unsuspecting women and preying men in alleys, she grabbed her potential attackers arm, twisted it, and threw him over her shoulder- suddenly grateful for her fast progress in Self Defence.

Her attempted attacker groaned at her feet. He reeked on alcohol, his eyes were bloodshot and ringed with dark shadows from lack of sleep and his chin was covered in grubby stubble. He looked up at her with a familiar cocky grin.

'Kirk?! Jim Kirk?!' She questioned disbelievingly, shocked.

'Hey Uhura.' He hiccupped in response. 'Long time no see… be a doll and help me up would ya?'

Sighing in defeat at the fact that today would definitely not go as she planned, a very sober Uhura pulled a very drunk Jim Kirk to his feet.

***

**I hope you enjoyed the Spock/Uhura moment, it was certainly a new experience for me to write such a scene with such interesting characters! Please review :) I'd love to hear you opinions! **


	3. Getting Drunk Isn't An Exorcism

**Hey everyone! Sorry the update has been quite slow, I've just had my last exam and prom (woo! Prom!)- but on the plus side I'm now officially on holiday! (^-^) Hooray! More time for earning money which means more time to buy shiny things, more time to write, more time to go out with friends, more FUN!!!! Ahem...sorry, moving on. Updates should be more frequent from now on.**

**Thank yous: To all who reviewed, you guys are my inspiration! Have a cookie :) Please continue to review, as it makes me happy and I hope you enjoy the chapter, I had much fun writing it and I hope it comes across! Another thanks to the Vulcan Language Dictionary- one word: awesome.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Star Trek or Spock, but am with most female Star Trek fans who wish to own that half-Vulcan shmexiness XD**

**Chapter Two- Getting Drunk isn't an Exorcism.**

'So this is where you live eh?' He seemed to have sobered up in the cab ride going back to her apartment, but apparently not quite enough. ''S nice but a little bare. I'd have thought your home would be more…homely.'

'Thanks Uhura, it was so nice of you to take me in when I had absolutely nowhere else to go.' Uhura shot back sarcastically throwing her keys into the empty bowl beside her and slamming the door shut with more force then she originally intended. Staring at her former Captain as he half-stumbled around her apartment brought back a number of various unpleasant emotions. But with a slightly superior feeling she realised- he wasn't her Captain anymore, and she could go back to treating him with the respect he really deserved.

'Hey, where are all the photos of everyone you used to keep in that place that you stayed- what's it called? Oh yeah-your _bed-room _back on the ship?' He stated suddenly 'I thought you would'a made a shrine or somethin''

Ignoring the sudden twang she felt at the mention of _that place,_ Uhura shot back rather coldly 'Just what were you doing snooping around in my room?'

'Captain had to keep a look out for any suspicious activity riiiight?' Kirk turned around to give her one of his infamous winks, Uhura responded by rolling her eyes, sliding off her shoes and moving into the kitchen area to fix herself some water and contemplate her circumstances.

Ok, so she had gotten herself into a bit of a situation. She had thrown her old Captain (who had recently been thrown out by some girl he'd been staying with, because he kept getting drunk and staying out until the early hours of the morning) over her shoulder because she had thought he was an attacker. Because of this, she'd pretty much been guilt tripped into offering her apartment to him whilst he got back onto his feet. Despite how much she disliked him, something inside her told her that maybe it might be…interesting to have him back in her life. Interesting and irritating beyond belief, but maybe helpful- for both of them. It suddenly occurred to her that she wasn't the only survivor standing in her apartment, that she had a shared experience with Jim Kirk- whether she liked it or not.

'You cut your hair!' He noticed, in what had to be the biggest delayed reaction since the dawn of existence. Uhura had indeed cut her hair, about three weeks after the tragedy, so that it now gently brushed and flicked against her shoulders. She had felt- as she watched her long strands silky hair being slowly cut away, dropping to the shimmering floor of the sleek salon- that all the experiences she had gone through, in those months that her hair had grown with her were falling from her conscious mind. It was a superficial way for her to feel better and it had worked for a brief period of time, but she wasn't shallow enough for it to work completely. Though it was sad when the effect wore off, the realisation that a mere haircut couldn't change her perspective was rather comforting. At least some parts of her former self still resided in the distant recesses of her mind.

After some period of time Kirk followed her to her kitchen units, suddenly appearing very sober, which threw her slightly. 'Seriously Uhura, why aren't there any, you know, reminders?' He turned his semi-bloodshot eyes towards her and what she saw in them shocked her, for it was what she saw every day when she looked at her reflection in mirrors. In his eyes was the dim, distant glimmer of someone haunted by a deep, dark moment in their lives. A moment perhaps they both blamed themselves for in part. She felt something then, for Jim Kirk, which she never thought she would- sympathy…or perhaps it was empathy, since they were sharing emotions. Empathy for Jim Kirk? Who knew…

'I…don't like _reminders_.' She replied truthfully, her voice low, staring into her glass of water instead of at him. The water was completely transparent. She decided she didn't want water anymore and poured the remaining contents into the sink. 'Why does it matter to you so much anymore?'

He didn't answer her directly, but sat on one of the kitchen stools. The unexpected movement caused her to swivel around to face him. He was wearing a slightly different expression now. His face was cast downwards, his fingers entwined as his elbows rested on the counter surface. The tone of his eyes was distant- she saw melancholy. Uhura found herself not liking it. He wasn't wearing his usual expression of arrogant boyishness and, for a brief moment, this unnerved her slightly.

'I know what you mean- I get enough reminders everyday without deliberately adding some to the mix.' He nodded in what was…understanding. Uhura could only stand there, mouth slightly open in shock, _him _understanding _her_? Did the thermostat in hell just go crazy!? 'There are ghosts everywhere.' He chuckled as if to try and lighten the mood, and just like that his boyish cockiness was back. _That's Kirk_ Uhura thought to herself. 'Wooooo spooky!'

_Yes_, Uhura thought as she went to find another beverage whilst raising her eyebrows at his pathetic attempt at a joke, _there are ghost's everywhere_.

***

'_Check it out! Look what I bought from Kupo Market!' The young captain marched onto the bridge, proudly displaying his, apparently, latest attempt to make everybody laugh. 'Isn't this the coolest thing you've ever seen?'_

_Uhura turned around in her chair and cast a disbelieving look at him, the rest of the team swivelled around in their own chairs, some looked over their shoulders, and Scotty poked his head above a work station he was making adjustments to. 'Captain…is that a _Bowler _hat?'_

_The whole Bridge burst into fits of hysterics. Their laughter echoed about the room, making it seem as if there were double, perhaps even triple, the amount of people in the room and the light-heartedness of the situation brought a feeling of warmth to Uhura's chest. The ability to laugh at one another, to share in happiness, grief, anger, fear, contentment and love- was one of the things that made the Enterprise crew a cut above the rest. Above all things they were a family. A highly odd, slightly dysfunctional, but wonderful family. And the Enterprise was more then just a ship, it was a home. Uhura smiled to herself at this comforting realisation._

'_Luutenient Uhura- I belief the Keptin is making a joke.' Chekov gasped through his chuckles, wiping tears from his eyes. Sulu rested an arm on his young friends shoulder, and buried his face in it to support himself, his body shaking violently with laughter._

'_I'm not…why is everyone laughing?' Kirk's eyebrows creased in confusion as he whined 'Seriously? I think it looks good.' This caused more frequent and increased laughter._

'_I think we need to call McCoy, you need a check-up if you seriously think that.' Uhura didn't laugh as hard as the others, but she did chortle. Unfortunately for Kirk's ego, he had overheard- and was about to retaliate when both McCoy and Spock entered the Bridge area._

'_Somebody hurt? I heard my name.' McCoy asked casually, but then stopped, mouth open in shock at the sight before him 'Jim, what the hell are you wearing on your head?!' _

_Spock merely raised his eyebrow._

'_I believe Captain Kirk has chosen a Bowler hat to add to his attire, most commonly associated with Earthling male fashions of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.' He explained with his usual brand of effortless intelligence and cool logic. Uhura's grin grew wider, catching Spock's eye, she winked. Only she noticed his version on a smile briefly grace his lips for her._

'_It's cool isn't it? I got it at Kupo market. What do ya think, Bones?' Kirk grinned in his usual coy manner._

'_Damn it Jim I'm a Doctor, not a fashion expert!' McCoy stated annoyed, after taking a deep breath and rolling his eyes, he continued. 'But I guess I can give my opinion since you asked- I think you look like fucking idiot.'_

_The crew members were now howling with laughter, Scotty had fallen onto his back and- wrench in hand- was clutching his sides, tears pouring freely down his face. Normally, they wouldn't dream of making fun of the Captain in such a way- a lot of the crew actually had a lot of respect for him, but Jim was a different sort of Captain to the rest, and he could dish it out as much as he could take it. They all knew they'd receive their 'just desserts' eventually- as it were._

_Pride wounded, Captain Kirk turned to his first mate 'Spock, you think it looks good don't you?'_

_It was common knowledge that Vulcan's do not lie- however Spock was only part Vulcan, and more then partial to succumbing to witty comments. 'As per usual Captain, your unique preferences accurately reflect your levels of intelligence.' Uhura joined in the laughter._

'_In other words- you look like a fucking idiot.' McCoy repeated, only this time grinning widely and increasing his volume so that he could be heard over the merriment of the crew._

_Uhura removed her headphones, and left her station, nodding to a fellow crew member taking her place, as her shift had ended. She moved over to where Spock stood waiting for her (always a gentleman- it had become a sort-of tradition for him to walk her back to her room in the evenings whenever his shift ended before hers) and where McCoy and Kirk were also gathered._

'_Evening Commander Spock, McCoy.' She beamed at them both, subconsciously copying her partners movements, and placing her arms behind her back- though in a slightly less rigid manner. After she'd received returned greetings, Uhura turned to Kirk, continuing with the formalities 'Permission to end shift Captain?'_

_Kirk, still frowning, replied, rather blearily 'huh? Oh, yeah, you're dismissed Lieutenant.'_

_After saying goodnight to everyone (no easy task, as most of them were still shrieking with laughter) the couple made to leave, when their Captain called for Uhura. 'Yes Captain?'_

_He had an impish grin on his face, his eyes twinkling in what was clearly mischief and the first thing that came to Uhura's mind was _Oh God, what now?

_In one quick, swaggering movement, Captain Kirk swept the Bowler hat off of his head and placed it upon the head of his dumbstruck Lieutenant. 'There.' He said in a way which stated he knew what he meant, but everyone else had no clue, and he was still grinning in a way that she found rather irritating- because she knew he was up to know good. Uhura didn't know what he was up to exactly, but was convinced he had chosen either herself, or Spock or even both of them, to give payback to for mocking him first. 'Now everyone knows you're the Captains most special lady.' He winked, and then his eyes went directly to Spock, grinning even more widely. He knew he was on thin ice and liked it. 'Isn't that right, Nyo-Bluuh!'_

_He was interrupted from daring to speak her name when Uhura, not even checking to see Spock's reaction, threw his precious Bowler hat and it hit Captain Kirk straight in the face. He stumbled backwards, almost losing his footing. When it became apparent that the only thing harmed on the Captain was his pride, the crew once more roared with laughter_

'_Awesome manoeuvre Uhura! Remind me to buy you a drink once we get to Ganymede Station.' Sulu chuckled nodding in approval._

'_Hey, what's with all the Captain hate today? You want me to all double your shifts?' Kirk warned, the rest of the crew fell almost silent immediately, occasionally failing to suppress giggles. He went to turn his annoyance onto the woman who had assaulted him (despite the fact she was off duty) only to find he was staring into space._

_***_

'_I shouldn't have done that.' Nyota sighed as she leapt into a chair, lying her head over one arm rest, and her legs draped over the other. 'It was poor conduct- he'll be out to get me now.'_

'_While I cannot, as Commander, condone your actions- I can assure you whilst we are off duty- that I feel your actions were appropriate to the situation.' Spock replied as he entered her quarters and locked the door behind him efficiently. She felt a little thrill inside her, for she knew it was Spock's way of telling her he didn't like the way Kirk flirted with her. Vulcan's were so cute when they were suppressing jealousy._

'_Despite the fact that they were irrational and _illogical_?' She looked behind her, grinning teasingly. He quirked his eyebrow in response._

'_Indeed. I have found, during my observations and my own experiences, that logic can be found in the most illogical places.' He gave her his version of a grin whilst he sat upright on the edge of her bed._

'_I prefer your type of humour you know.' She smiled warmly at him, then dipped her head backwards to stare at the ceiling._

'_I was unaware that I possessed a brand of humour.' She heard him respond reflectively. 'Nor that I portrayed it in any way.'_

'_Yeah right.' She scoffed 'You're one of the wittiest men I know. It is a side of you I enjoy seeing.'_

'_Again, I was unaware that I had…_sides_.' She could feel him Vulcan-frowning, and she barked out a laugh. 'Perhaps you should inform me of the sides you prefer, and I will make a note to portray them more on future occasions.'_

_She got up and moved over towards him, draping herself over his lap and kissed him deeply, burying herself into his neck when they parted- she wanted to reassure him, even though she knew he didn't need it, that she didn't like Kirk's flirtations any more then he did. She nuzzled his cheek 'All I ask is you be yourself, show the sides _you _want to show, not what others want or expect you to show. I accept you as a whole, not as a collection of sides. I love _you _Spock._' _She kissed him once more, as if to ascertain this promise._

'_Nyota…k'hat'n'dlawa' He whispered into her ear, his breath tickling her and causing her to shiver slightly, whilst he nuzzled back. It was one of the only pre-formation Vulcan words he had used in his lifetime and it was reserved only for her. When he had first used it- it had been after they had first made love, and she had been so deeply moved that she had cried with happiness. To this day, whenever he used it, she felt tears spring into her eyes, and her entire being seemed to elevate._

_K'hat'n'dlawa…Half of my heart and soul._

***

'Uhura?' She shook her head violently as Kirk called her. Her body was slumped forwards, her palms resting on the edges of the kitchen sink. Who knows how long she'd been staring into the black depths of the plughole. She didn't meet Kirk's eyes, glancing downwards, her hair gently tumbling forwards and conveniently covering her face. She felt him squeeze her shoulder, she didn't bat his hand away. 'It's ok…I know.'

Uhura inhaled deeply and, hoping that he wouldn't see her wiping her eyes, she turned around and raised her eyebrow 'It's still no excuse to get drunk every night you know. That isn't good for you.'

He smiled 'I know- that's why I do it, isn't that obvious?' He wiggled his eyebrows at her and walked back into the living area 'what's on TV?' he called throwing himself onto the sofa haphazardously.

And so, both their bravado's up once more, Uhura rolled her eyes at his antics.

His stay was going to last for eternity.

**Reviews get ice cream next time! (^o^) XD**


	4. Déjà vu

**Okay this chapter is longer than all the other chapters, I hope that's ok, and I hope you enjoy it! (^_^) I want to thank you all for the amaaaaaazing reviews I've gotten for this story! Woohoo! Ice cream for all!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek, just messing with the characters. **

**Please don't forget to review, it makes me very happy, next time reviewers get brownies!!!! XD**

**Chapter Three- Déjà vu.**

'_Where am I?'_

_Uhura was standing somewhere she did not recognise. She was in darkness, she could see nothing, not even herself. She felt alone, lost, so very empty. But she could not cry, she could not move, she felt as if she were waiting for something or someone._

_She blinked and in one confusing moment, she found herself in Spock's old office, back at the academy._

_She blinked once more. _What…?_ Was all she could think. Why was she in Spock's office? Something had happened in here once…something that had changed everything between them._

'_Nyota.' _

_At the sound of his controlled and yet oh so alluring voice, her heart clenched horribly in her chest, her throat grew tight._

_He was there, before her. Suddenly, right out of the blue. The pure shock of it was as if she had been punched in the gut by a Klingon warrior._

'_Spock-' She began, then stopped, suddenly steeling herself. It was obvious what was happening. 'I'm dreaming again. Aren't I? I dream of you a lot.'_

'_It would appear that your unconscious mind is relaying images to you whilst your consciousness is in a relaxed state. So I believe your statement is correct.' He nodded briefly._

_Uhura barked out a laugh. 'I'd forgotten how much I love the way it takes you forever just to say _yes_.' She stared at him, there was a longing in his eyes which might have been her own longing, she didn't know, but he was here and she would wait no longer._

_They'd both had enough conversation, in a rough, flurried motion- their bodies met, they kissed like they were two drowning people, and they were each others lifeboat. It was passionate, it was emotional, it was everything she knew Spock was- but only for her._

'_I'm going to stay here forever.' She said determinedly when they parted, as she caressed his face, his arm, his chest, and placed butterfly kisses upon his lips desperately- as if she had no time left. 'I want to stay. I don't want to wake up.'_

'_Nyota…' He held her arm in one hand, stroked her hair in the other. It was a tender, but concerned, gestured. He was showing so many emotions, ones that he so often contained, locked deep within the depths of his soul. She was his key, she would always be the key._

_But what happened to keys once they had nothing left to unlock?_

_When she was awake, away from dreams like this, she felt like she had been left to rust, to erode, to lose all her purpose and meaning._

'_I know, I know! Don't tell me I have to wake up. I know I have to, I just- don't want to. I don't want to leave you.' She buried herself into his chest. 'Spock. I'm trying so hard-'_

'_I understand. I find that being without you is entirely unbearable also.'_

_She looked up to him, swallowing, trying to control herself. 'W-what?'_

_His eyebrows creased slightly. 'Do you wish for me to repeat my statement?'_

_She wiped her eyes. 'No, it just sounded like you were talking…as if you were on holiday or something.' She sniffed. 'Not…well…not alive.' She couldn't say _that word_, the word which would cause her to break down._

_His frown increased further. 'Not alive? Nyota, I do not believe your assertion to be accurate. I find that I am entirely alive. I am reaching out to you in your current state, as we have previously mind-melded so you are the only one whom I could make contact with in my current situation, and also to make sure of your wellbeing.'_

_Her head was spinning, she felt that she might wake up a throw up. 'You're…alive? Spock, you're alive?!'_

'_I am unaware as to the whereabouts of my current location, and I believe I am in a state of artificially induced sleep, but yes I am alive.' He stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 'I am…confused as to why you would believe otherwise.'_

'_But…but I saw it! I saw the Enterprise being destroyed, I went to your memorial! I watched as they buried your empty coffin.' She had lost all control now, had broken down completely in his arms, slamming her hand against his chest as if that would remove some of the pain. 'Don't tell me these things Spock, don't you dare tell me these things, when I know I'm going to wake up and find that it's not true. Because when I _do_ die, and I meet up with you once again for real- I'm going to hit you so hard for lying to me!'_

'_Nyota.' He made to wipe away her tears, and kissed her passionately, for a moment, she was lost in the comfort he provided, but it also broke her heart._

'_No!' She ripped away from his embrace. 'No, stop, it's too hard! I'm trying to _live _without everything. I've- lost- everything. Don't give me hope Spock! Don't!'_

_He was pulling away from her, or was she pulling away from him? Was she closing her mind to him? What was happening?_

_His office was dissolving into darkness before her very eyes._

_She didn't want hope, but she didn't want to leave him either, both were too painful._

'_Spock!' She cried desperately._

_There was nothing but darkness._

'SPOCK!' She screamed, instantly awake and sitting up in bed. The door to her bedroom slammed open before she could fully establish where she was, why her heart hurt so much, why there were tears on her cheeks.

'WHAT- WHAT!?' Kirk had run into her room, and was brandishing the heaviest item he had thought of that would bring damage to whatever was causing Uhura to shriek in such a manner. In this case, it was a lamp.

He was also completely and utterly naked.

Uhura's eyes bulged out of her head and she flung her whole head away from the sight, heat rushing to her face in shock and mortification. 'KIRK!'

He looked down and realised with a cry of embarrassment and covered himself with the top part of the lamp. 'I- I'm sorry, you were yelling and I thought there was an intruder or something and I-'

'GET OUT!' She yelled chucking a pillow in his direction, but missing by several feet- as she didn't dare look at him.

'Ok! Ok!' And with that, the door slammed shut behind him as he fled the room.

***

'Good morning.' Uhura, once she had recovered from her shock of seeing her former Captain in the nude, brandishing her guest room lamp, and subsequently trying desperately to remove the image from her mind- had gotten ready for her day. Shorter hair, to her dismay, needed a lot more maintenance then her long hair had and sometimes she truly wondered why she even bothered to make an effort.

_Because order and routine makes you not want to jump of the Golden Gate bridge._ Her brain pointed out.

'Good morning.' Kirk cleared his throat and replied in the same tone whilst she settled on one of the kitchen counter stools. Uhura was relieved that he had clothes on now (actually relieved was an understatement). He was fixing them both breakfast, a sight that- when she had first seen it- had almost made her fall over from the sheer shock of it. It had been over a week since he had first moved in, and Uhura had expected her apartment to be in a wreck within two hours. It was, in fact, tidier then it ever had been- and _that _was saying something.

To be honest, having Kirk stay with her hadn't been as awful as she had first thought it would. He had only turned up drunk once, at three in the morning- caterwauling like a pathetic little cat to be let back in. He had slept on the doorstep that night and consequently did not repeat his mistake twice. Uhura had felt quite guilty about leaving him but decided it was best for him, despite what she may have previously felt about him- she didn't want to see the youngest Starfleet Captain reduced to an alcoholic mess. On some level, she cared about Kirk's wellbeing- as he blatantly cared for hers.

Over the course of the week, she had found that Kirk wasn't as bad as she had first believed. His flirtations, once serious, had now turned into a sort of light hearted joke to which Uhura could respond to with her usual brand of clever and witty sarcasm. Their banter seemed to distract, to relieve the pain slightly. They seemed to be becoming…friends. Friends with Jim Kirk? Well, Uhura supposed that anything could be possible.

'So…' He began whilst flipping the pancakes. He could have easily gotten the computer to do prepare them, but he said there was something manly in being able to master the perfect pancake toss. 'Are we going to talk about what happened this morning?'

Uhura immediately stopped flicking through the morning paper, looking for jobs that might suit him- obviously Kirk had a lot of publicity surrounding him, and any job he wished to pursue would probably be open for him- and looked at him intensely. 'Yeah, we are most definitely going to talk about it.' She paused. 'I had no idea you slept naked- but please, for future reference- just-_ don't_. Oh and you're paying to wash the guest room sheets.'

She had expected him to say something like _'oh you know you liked what you saw, care for a second show?'_, instead his face turned bright red and he replied 'What? Wait- no I didn't mean that. I meant why you woke up screaming.'

For a moment she started, but the moment passed, and her face set into a stony, stubborn expression, her lips tightened slightly. 'I don't want to talk about that Kirk.'

He sighed and placed a stack of pancakes in front of her, she thanked him, and then proceeded to cover his own pancakes with such an excessive amount of syrup it caused Uhura's mouth opened in disbelief. She was about to ask whether he wanted some pancakes with his syrup when he suddenly stated, mouth full of syrupy goodness, 'When I ha bah dreams-zes a kid, I use tuh go tall tuh muh mum abou' 'em.' Uhura didn't know whether to scoff or look repulsed, and then he finally swallowed his food. 'Talking helps.'

She sighed, she knew talking helped as a fact. It had helped her in her weakest moments, when she had spent some time in a hotel with her family, just days after her and Kirk had escaped from that awful enemy ship, when she had leant into her mothers shoulder and wailed and cursed and asked over and over again 'Why? Why did they all have to die? Why did he have to leave me, Mum, why did he have to leave me!?'

She just didn't want to cry anymore. She felt tired, exhausted, with the hurricanes of emotions that constantly rampaged through her insides. She'd had enough with all of it. The dream that she'd had, that horrid nightmare that dared toy with her mind, her feelings, her hope- had been the last straw. She loved Spock, she would always love Spock and she felt that she could never love again- for who would willingly give half their heart away? But she felt if her mind kept playing tricks on her, she'd truly go crazy.

'Come on look at this adorable face! You know you can't resist opening your heart to it. Or anything else for that matter.' Ah, _there _was Kirk. He brought her out of her painful thought process, leaning over the counter with sideways smile and wiggled his eyebrows, pointing towards his aforementioned face. Uhura, raising her own eyebrow in response, rolled up the newspaper and hit him on the nose with it.

'Down boy. Don't make me get you neutered. And I swear to God I will.' She replied with a light smirk playing on her features. He sat back down in his seat with a hangdog expression on his _adorable _face, and she was a bit surprised at this- so she, reluctantly, decided to take the more serious route. Taking a deep breath and attempting to prepare herself for the onslaught of aching that bringing the experience back to the forefront of her mind came with, she said 'I dream about what happened, I dream about us being together on the bridge- I- mostly dream about him.' She sighed again. 'Even when I sleep I can't escape it. It's so…frustrating.'

She looked up at him, he was listening to her every word. 'I know.' He replied. 'I dream about them a lot too. I have this repeating one where I'm on the bridge with everyone and we're all laughing and joking, and they all turn around and stare at me for a really long time and it all goes silent- then they all disappear.'

They were silent for a while, revelling in the new information- in their shared experiences- before Uhura looked up and replied 'Still, nothing compares to the near heart attack _you _gave me this morning.'

He glanced up at her and they were silent once more, slowly their tiny smirks grew to wide grins, wide grins grew to sporadic chuckles, and before they knew it, they were both clutching their sides laughing hysterically, tears forming in the corners of their eyes. And it felt good, really, really good- in a completely absurd way.

That was the first morning Uhura left her new apartment with a smile on her face.

***

'Do we have to? I really don't think this is necessary.' She whined as she begrudgingly entered the traditional-themed bar, Kirk pushing her shoulder blades so that there was no escape.

'Look, you just got me a _job _as a substitute teacher, you've let me stay in your house! For once can you not be so goddamn stubborn, and let me buy you a drink?'

'This is just an excuse so that _you_ can get drunk.' She argued turning around and crossing her arms, deciding to make him pay for the stubborn comment at a later date. 'I've been socializing since…well I haven't turned into a recluse okay? If you want to repay me just buy me some chocolates and stop pretending to hit on me.'

Kirk was laughing now, and Uhura found that infuriating. 'Oh you know you love it, and no- I am going to buy you a drink, you need to have a good time. There's a difference between socializing and having fun. I promise if you get drunk I won't take advantage of you, if that's what you're worried about.'

'I could drink and Orion Blitzer and you still wouldn't be able to take _advantage _of me.' Uhura mumbled, but made sure he still heard it. Kirk laughed harder.

'I'll hold you to that!' He replied and without a warning he marched up to the bar,

'Kirk- Kirk, what are you doing?!' She had no choice but to follow him. He was obviously familiar with the bar tender and called to him in an uproarious manner.

'Hey Billy! This brave and beautiful young lady wants to try her luck with an Orion Blitzer!' Uhura could literally feel the eyes of at least half the males in the place as they all spun around to face her, she knew what they were thinking- and she felt humiliated. Humiliation was not something she liked to feel and instead of having fun, found herself getting just pain pissed off.

'Actually.' She replied equally loudly and searching for a far less deadly concoction on the board behind her. 'I'd prefer a Hawaiian Bliss please, easy on the rum.' she gave a sigh of relief when the men, some of the groaning with disappointment, turned away from them.

Kirk, grabbing himself a bud classic, walked back over to her with their drinks, his usual cocky grin plastered on his face. He wanted her to have fun, but he couldn't resist annoying her- it was just too easy sometimes. Uhura snatched her drink from him. 'Thanks for the drink, but you know what? You are such an asshole.' She hissed. She could see his smirk grow wider from the corner of her eyes, as she took a sip of her drink.

Over the course of the evening Uhura had a few more drinks- all Kirk insisted on getting for her- but as she had eaten before they'd come out and she was a grown woman perfectly capable of holding her liquor, she was only at the point just before tipsy, more relaxed, where her worries seemed to be fading slightly. Kirk had gone to the bathroom leaving her on her own for a second. She looked towards a group of girls probably her age, or maybe a few years younger. They caught her eye and smiled at her, she smiled back. Uhura decided she liked the atmosphere in this bar, it was welcoming, the music was varied, loud but not horridly so and it wasn't very full, which gave a rather relaxed air to the place. She was about to walk over an introduce herself to the group of friendly girls when she noticed Kirk coming to stand back next to her.

'It's about time.' She said in a teasing tone, rolling her eyes- she turned to him, only to find that it wasn't Kirk at all, but a rugged and blatantly drunk man looming over her in what was apparently supposed to be an alluring and sexy manner. Uhura raised her eyebrows.

'Yeah it's about time _baby_, about time I took you home.' Uhura both cringed and laughed at his insanely cheesy line, getting a strong sense of Déjà vu. _Why _was she always hit on by idiots in bars? She didn't exactly dress in a way that provoked the attention (in other words, she didn't dress like a slut) so what the hell was it?

'Sorry, I don't think so.' She replied shaking her head and turning away from him. He gabbed her arm, just above the elbow, she shrugged him off, her annoyance growing. She sighed, _and I was beginning to enjoy the evening_ she thought grimly.

'Oh don't play hard to get _baby_. We both know I got what you want.' Well, he was definitely an idiot- clearly incapable of structuring a real sentence. And why did he keep saying the word 'baby' like that? Did he think calling her baby in that way would make her jump into his lap, wrap her legs around his waist and say _'Ooh that tone of voice is so sexy, I must have you now'_?

'I really don't think you do. Now if you'd like to move along, my friend's coming back in a minute and that's his seat.' Her tone was much more edgy now, as if daring him to disagree with her. She really just wanted him to leave her alone, but if need be- she was willing to kick his ass.

Almost as soon as she mentioned him, Kirk materialized from seemingly nowhere, and placed a hand on the intruders shoulder. 'You heard the lady, time to get moving.'

Uhura raised her eyebrow. The drunk man whiled around to face him, a scowl crossing his rough features. 'Oh and who are you supposed to be, her _girlfriend_?' He laughed as if this was the funniest thing on the planet. _Oh a gender joke, you're a regular Nobel prize winner._ Uhura thought to herself, rolling her eyes.

Kirk just smirked in response. 'Yeah we're lesbian life partners alright. My name's Regina and her name's Rizzo.' Uhura burst out laughing whilst the drunk man just looked confused. 'And unless you want to be part of a little lesbian sex sandwich later you'll move along. No? Pity, you're a pretty little thing too. Okay nighty, night!'

She had thought the whole moment would be over, and so- evidently- did Kirk. However no sooner had Kirk lightly pushed him aside then the drunk span him around and punched him squarely in the jaw. A fight ensued and Uhura, finding herself suddenly angry that her night had been ruined, and fed up with bad luck following her wherever she went, marched right out of the bar before anyone could 'accidentally' fall on her breasts.

She was a block away, probably a five minutes walk from her apartment, when she heard him calling her. 'Leave me alone Kirk. I've had enough for one evening. I'm going home.'

'Hey, look, I'm sorry about what happened.' He replied catching up with her, she noticed his jaw was bruised already and there was blood on his lip. 'I just thought that-'

'Look I appreciate you being nice to me, trying to show me a good time and everything but what the hell Kirk?! What makes you think I can't handle myself? I didn't need you to jump in guns blazing and all that crap!'

'Because-'

'Because _what_?' Uhura half groaned, half yelled- her exasperation showing through every aspect of her being, from her slouched shoulders to her hands on her hips, to her protruding jaw.

'Because- because I promised Spock I'd look out for you!' He blurted out, his chest heaving and he looked away from her. Uhura stared at him in shock her own breath stopping at the mention of his name, it was the first time she'd heard Kirk mention any of his former crew members by their name. In the glint of the pale streetlights Uhura questioned, were there tears in his eyes? 'The day of the memorial, after everyone had left, I stayed and I _made _that promise to him, and I know- I know you can take care of yourself, and I'm more of a mess then you are but- but he was my friend and…and you are too now and I just-' he took a deep breath, and met her wide eyes once more. 'I just thought I owed it to him to make sure that you're ok.'

They said nothing else, but Uhura felt a lump rising to her throat, deeply moved by his confession. Rather then let him see her tears, she did what she thought would be best, and instead wrapped her arms around his neck in a platonic but caring embrace. 'Thank you.' Was all she could say in that moment. He was obviously stunned, at first rigid, but then wrapped his own arms around her, returning the gesture, Uhura felt her shoulder growing wet.

'You're really annoying, but…you are good friend.' She replied sincerely as they pulled apart, nodding and smiling. He smiled back.

'Even though I have a crap taste in bars?'

'Cook me waffles for breakfast and I _might _forgive you.' She retorted dryly. Kirk threw back his head and laughed.

'Alright, you got yourself a deal there Rizzo.' And so the pair both feeling a little lighter, and not just due to the alcohol, made their way back to the apartment to continue with their dysfunctional, bleak, and yet somehow more bearable existence…

And somewhere, in a mysterious, undisclosed corner of the galaxy, inside a ship believed to have been eradicated from the very face of existence- taking the majority of it's inhabitants with it, a half-Vulcan half-Human blearily opened his eyes.

**Le Cliffy! Le Gasp! Le please review! XD French is a cool language (sorry, I was up late writing this) I'll update soon, I promise! XxXx**


	5. The Living Can Be Ghosts Too

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while, chalk it up to REALLY REALLY BAD writers block :( It was hard to write from Spocks point of view, giving that I've been so used to writing from Uhura's. It wasn't an easy transition- I hope I pulled it off convincingly. This chapter is longer than the others though, so I hope that makes up for it!**

**Once again thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate it, they make me feel like my efforts are worth it :D have some brownies! Please continue to read and review.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek, but I wish I did own Spock! You gotta love those pointy ears LOL XD**

Chapter Four- The Living Can Be Ghosts Too.

'I don't want to!'

'I don't care you're going to!'

'But she's going to be so pissed at me.'

'What are you- Kirk- a child? Wait don't answer that. Look she's your _mother_. She deserves to hear from you.'

Across the hall from Uhura's apartment, a friendly- slightly elderly couple by the name of Mr and Mrs Williams were settled down into their morning ritual. Coffee, eggs, bacon- the typical start of the day. Occasionally they listened to the radio, however, today they were partially disturbed by the yelling coming from their lovely young neighbours apartment. Mr Williams, raising his eyebrows amusingly at the quarrel, and lowering his paper to listen, was promptly hit around the head for being so nosey by his loving- and a lot less inquisitive- wife.

'What? Come on! They remind me of the fights my sister and I had when we were little. It's _funny_!' Mr Williams shrugged innocently, rubbing the sore spot on his grey-haired head.

'If that's the case, I feel very sorry for both your sister and young Uhura- poor dears.' Mrs Williams mumbled, shaking her head as she walked over to the coffee filter.

Meanwhile Uhura was attempting to drag Kirk to the nearest communicator, having recently discovered that he had only talked to his mother once since…well, since they had both safely returned to Earth. In short, he'd been avoiding her like the plague, using many meaningless and self-centred excuses as to why. No excuse was good enough for Uhura, and this was the reason behind the current situation.

'I know she does but let me do it on my own terms! She understands, I just can't deal with how much she worries about me okay? You are so _bossy_, leave me alone!' At the mention of his mother, Kirk seemed to have reverted back into a childhood form (even more so then before) as was apparent by his stereotypically teenage-style whining and six-year-old versions of insults. Uhura's grip tightened on his arm as she once again tried to budge him from the sofa attempting to reason with him.

'Well maybe she'd worry less if she heard from you more.' She half-grunted.

'Clearly you don't know my mother- now let me go!'

'Kirk get up!' She couldn't believe she was wrapped up in an almost sibling-type fight with this immature idiot.

'No!' And with that, Kirk pulled his favourite trick from when he was younger and his step-dad tried to get him to visit his boring aunts house, he pretended to go limp in Uhura's grip, knowing he would be hard to carry in this way without extreme effort. He called this the _'rag doll manoeuvre'_.

'Oh my God, you _are _a child! Well fine.' Uhura threw his arm down and Kirk opened his eyes curiously to see her stomping away from him. 'If you're not going to call her, I am.'

He was miraculously cured of his _'limpness'_, sitting bolt upright as if awaking from a horrid nightmare, his eyes wide in fear.

'You wouldn't!' But it was too late, she already had. The screen to the communicator flicked on as Kirk's mother answered the phone, it was one of those rare moments in life where one witnessed an awful even unfold in slow motion. Kirk ran towards the screen, about to press the end transmission button, when he tripped over himself and slammed into Uhura, both of them tumbling to the ground with a cries of shock and awkward flailing of limbs.

'Hello-o?' He heard his mother call whilst both of them groaned in pain and disorientation, he looked down at Uhura sheepishly, at first she looked dazed, then angry.

'Get off of me!' She hissed pushing him off her roughly.

'Hello? Is anyone there?' He heard his mother call.

'Yes I apologise Ma'am.' Uhura stood up blowing a loose flick of hair away from her eyes, dragging Kirk with her as she went. As soon as she saw her son, her eyes lit up.

'Jimmy! Thank goodness! I was so worried, why haven't you been answering my calls?' Suddenly she grew serious in tone, whilst Uhura decided to store the Jimmy comment for future payback. 'Have you gotten yourself in trouble again?' she looked back and forth between Uhura, who was staring back curiously, and Kirk, who had decided to remain silent and look down in shame. 'You haven't gotten _another _girl pregnant have you?'

Uhura swivelled her head towards Kirk and looked at him in utter repulsion and complete shock, whilst Kirk immediately looked up at his mother 'What?!' They both cried in unison.

'Mum I never got my prom date pregnant ok!? She just told you that to get me back for dating her sister! When are you going to let that go? And Uhura's my friend, she not…well we don't…' Kirk tried to explain. Uhura raised her eyebrow and turned away _I don't even want to know_, she thought leaving them to their conversation, feeling embarrassed for them rather than herself. She knew she didn't actually look pregnant, far from it with all the exercise she did, so it was fine- she wasn't offended. It was rather funny, in a mortifying kind of way.

Whilst she was alone, she cleared up the remnants of their breakfast- mumbling under her breath when she saw Kirk had spilt orange juice on the floor and hadn't realised, causing one of her normally sparkling white tiles to be sticky and smelly. Uhura hoped to herself that Kirk would keep in contact with his mother, as it was still soon after the tragic events that had unfolded the very fabric of their lives. While she found that they were (shockingly enough) able to befriend each other, console each other in a way that no other could because of this shared experience, she knew that he needed the support of his family as much as she did- he just needed a push to realise this. She still spoke to her parents every day, it helped her, maybe it would help him.

After she had finished cleaning up, doing her best not to let her mind wander back to the stars- as she so often had to fight not to do- she heard a distant calling of her name. It caught her off guard, as she was sure Kirk was still talking to his mother. She shook her head briefly, moving on from the moment and try to decide what to do after her Saturday morning run when she suddenly heard it again. Distantly…the voice too far away to be recognisable. Surely she would have recognised Kirk's voice if he was calling her? She became aware of the tiny goosebumps on her skin, her widened eyes, the tight constrictions in her chest. Something wasn't right.

She shook her head, obviously she was being ridiculous. _Get a grip on yourself girl! _Kirk was calling her and in her daydream-like state, she was just having a funny moment. She walked back to her living area just as he was walking out of it.

'I was just about to come and get you. We have a call waiting from Starfleet, I've ended the communication with my Mum, I'm going to get you back for that by the way.' He said spinning back around and glancing at her over his shoulder at her as he made his way back to the communicator. He sounded both worried, annoyed, amused and relieved at the same time all for varying reasons.

Uhura scoffed. 'Oh like knocking me to the ground wasn't enough and- wait a minute, did you just say Starfleet want to talk to us?'

Kirk nodded. The brief feeling of anxiety and confusion that had irrationally crossed her in the kitchen returned with a vengeance, only now it wasn't as unfounded. Her body felt like ice. Reluctance was flowing through her veins. She didn't want to talk to them, to be reminded, why were they contacting them now? Facing them meant bringing unpleasant things to the surface that she was currently trying to bury, not forget- never forget- but at least to place them in a secret box until she was ready to open and explore in a more detached way, until a time she could open it without falling apart.

She would fall apart if she had to talk to them- but she had no choice. So she had to be _strong_. She looked at Kirk, the expression on his face probably reflected the inner turmoil she was feeling, but both were too wrapped up in their own worries at that moment to be of much comfort to each other.

The communicator flicked on and Admiral Pike's face flicked on the screen. Seeing the face of her friendly, respectable, former superior officer- Uhura immediately wanted to cry, but she refused. True she was no longer a member of Starfleet but she would run naked through the streets of San Francisco before she acted without dignity. The days of her being an impulsive cadet were over, the days of her being a confident Lieutenant were over. She was a professor now, and would act with all the professionalism a teacher should.

A small voice she suppressed whispered in the back of her mind, _he was a teacher too, always professional, even with me, except when we…_

'Good morning you two.' He looked tired, haggard even, very stressed. His eyes were bloodshot, the wrinkles around his eyes seemed more pronounced. There was nothing but seriousness in his tone, this was official business- and it did nothing to ease the insatiable fear slowly battling Uhura. 'I hope I've found you well?'

They nodded, their replies coming in _'Yes sir'_s even now.

'That's good to know, but unfortunately this isn't a personal call, I'm calling on behalf of Starfleet, we want you two to come down to the base immediately, regarding certain facts that have recently come into light about the tragic incident that occurred two and a half months ago.'

'What do you mean by that Admiral?' Uhura asked, her voice seemed far away to her and yet sounded so strong and confident. It was almost as if she was watching a robotic version of herself acting her life out.

'I really don't want to go into it further, and the details are still hazy to me. All I know is you two have to get down here right now or they're coming to get you.' The professional façade came down briefly and he talked to them as he did when they had been off duty. Uhura felt the pangs of a lost home strum across her chest with jagged finger nails. 'Take care, Pike out.' and with that the screen went black, but Uhura found herself staring at it. It seemed they had no choice, they had to go back.

She noticed Kirk looking at her in the reflection of the communicator and she turned around, biting her lip slightly- not really knowing what to say.

'Hey come on, I know it will be hard but…' he trailed off, scratching his sandy hair. 'Well we're going back one way or the other right? And I know you'd rather die than be dragged kicking and screaming back there.'

Uhura swallowed, nodding as she did so, her voice far away. 'Yeah. I know, we have to go.'

'Hey don't stress out, remember you have our baby to think about!' He grinned slightly.

One thing about Kirk, Uhura thought as she laughed, was that he was good at alleviating tension from a situation.

***

The part of the galaxy in which U.S.S. Enterprise was currently floating was completely and entirely empty, and as silent as a private cemetery. There was nothing, nothing except a blanket of complete darkness, dotted with stars of course- but planets? Space stations? Other ships lazily passing by? No, there were none of these. It was entirely lonely, entirely lifeless.

Commander Spock stared out of his window in a few moments of silent contemplation before settling down on the ground again in another attempt at meditation, another attempt at contacting the one person he thought he could contact- only to fail once more. He inhaled a very shaky breath and opened his eyes, frustration, anger, confusion, grief- they were all swirling about in the underwater iceberg that was where he pushed emotions down to observe them. Growing stronger by the moment however, they threatened to rise above the surface, to the place where his cool logic resided, and overthrow it one foul swoop. He had to meditate, and yet he could not- for his mind was too preoccupied.

He was very much _alive_, that much was certain and blatantly obvious- but was he a sole survivor captive in the depths a ghost ship? That, he was unsure of. The door to his room had been locked, the computer system overridden- it would take a long time and a lot of hard work to return it to normal, if he could at all.

Once again that question presented itself…how had he gotten into his room? His last conscious moments were on the bridge, with the other crew members. Why did he wake up now of all times? He glanced up at the foreign life support system he had been put on so that he gained enough nutrition to live for however long he had been placed in an artificial coma. Spock frowned ever so slightly, why were the unknown enemies keeping him alive? Surely it was illogical to do so, and were they also keeping the other crew members alive? So many questions were reverberating through his mind and for the second time in his life, he found he could not answer them with a good amount of confidence. This unnerved Spock, for the only one who had ever brought out this much uncertainty in him had been… he lowered his head, the thought of her produced several more questions.

The clearest, most disturbing question being: why could he not contact his Nyota?

Pondering this, he was fully aware that their bond was not as strong as a marital one, if so they could have contacted each others minds without a seconds though and with a great ease- such was the strength of the marital bind- much like the one his mother and father had possessed.

However he knew without a doubt that Nyota and himself possessed a deep emotional, physical and psychic bond- one that was only just short of the marital one. He knew she was the only mate he would ever have considered, no other came close. She was the _only _one for him. He believed she felt the same way, and he allowed himself to feel truly happy around her because of this, to trust her to see his emotions. Not only that, he _wished _for her to see them, and he portrayed them only for her. In return he knew he was the only one that she would give her heart, soul, body and beautiful mind to. For this, he would be eternally grateful.

So- why could he not contact her? Spock's hand clenched slightly. He _had_ contacted her once, and he had seen…had felt her complete emptiness, her intense grief, her unbearable loss- for the Enterprise, the crew but especially, for him. She believed them to be dead and was suffering dearly for it. The realisation almost physically pained him, he would attempt anything to stop her feeling that way, however illogical the thought was, he knew it was true.

After he had informed her he was alive, she seemed to have blocked her mind to him- though not entirely consciously. Perhaps it was too painful for her? Perhaps she did not believe that he was alive, instead settling on a much higher possibility that it was her own subconscious, Nyota was no fool after all. Spock had to contact her, to get her to believe. He had to know where she was, if she was safe. She appeared to be in no mortal danger, but he needed to be absolutely sure.

After all, the last time he had seen her, his beautiful, amazing Nyota, in the physicals realms, had been just before things had gone so tremendously and undeniably _wrong_. Once again Spock attempted to decipher the events past, in order to discover what had truly transpired.

***

'_Yeah, yeah, I know it's crazy to you Mr. Spock, but what I also know is- I can smell adventure and adventure's where we're heading!' Kirk replied with a combination of proud certainty and boyish excitement. Spock's sensitive hearing picked up Nyota scoffing, a brief indication that she was listening at the same time as working. The ability to multi-task was one that brought much confusion from the half-Vulcan first officer, whom always believed that in order to maintain maximum efficiency, one must be completely devoted to a single task at hand. However Nyota could perform exceptionally in both tasks she was involved in simultaneously- when Spock enquired into how this was possible, she had confused him further with her coy grin, her gentle knowing chuckle and her vague explanation 'It's a woman thing'._

_They had been on a routine supply mission, nothing immediately necessary, when Kirk had entered the bridge declaring he had had an amazing dream of a new world and to change co-ordinates. His eyes had been slightly unfocused and Spock had sensed an unnerving change in his behaviour. It was irrational, but not in the way Kirk was normally inclined to act. It made Spock's shoulders tense._

'_As illogical as that statement was Captain, I do feel that we should not deter from our current-' Spock was cut off as a shriek of pain echoed around the bridge. Spock turned to the source of the interruption, Lieutenant Uhura was sitting in her chair, hunched over in pain- her hands clutched her head and he could her breathing intake had increased by 10.7% He stood up instinctively, but remained where he was- his professionalism preventing him from rushing to her aid._

'_Lieutenant Uhura.' He had almost called her Nyota. 'Are you in need of medical attention?'_

_She span around and looked at them, shaking her head and calming herself down. His muscles relaxed slightly, and he experienced a slight relief in his worry for her wellbeing._

'_Captain, I'm picking up an unknown frequency, it seems an unknown species is trying to contact us.' She explained. Spock's mind referred to the memory of Kirk wanting to change course, perhaps this new species was somehow responsible for this event? No, that was not logical. It was far more probable that the two events were unrelated. Besides, as a scientist, his interest in the discovery of a entirely new species was more prominent in his mind._

'_Can you decipher their language?' Captain Kirk asked, excitement growing in his vocal inflections, as Spock sat back down, his eyes did not leave her._

'_It was bizarre really, I couldn't physically hear them- but there was a painful, high pitched noise and…' she frowned 'it was as if I could hear them in my mind, I believe this is their way of communication. They said they were experiencing distress and needed assistance. Their attempts at contact seem less advanced then what we are used to.'_

'_Fascinating.' Spock muttered under his breath, Nyota looked at him- her eyes softened and also glistened in a shared excitement, they were both in their element. He knew in that moment that she was alright, and so he turned to the Captain. 'What do you propose to be our course of action Captain?'_

_Kirk stood up and went over to his Lieutenant's station. 'I'll speak to them.'_

_Nyota looked incredulously at him. Spock knew that, even though she respected him as a Captain, he was stepping into her territory and she didn't like it. His eyebrow raised curiously as he watched the events unfold. 'Captain-' she began._

'_I want them to know help is on the way, if it's a new species- I want them to hear from the Captain first.' He explained reasonably. 'Move aside please, Lieutenant, and inform Sulu of the co-ordinates they set.'_

_A barely audible huff escaped Uhura's lips as she left her station toward Sulu, giving him her headpiece, he sat down and began a transmission to the unknown species, his back towards the crew. After a few moments a curse escape his lips and he clutched his head like Uhura had. '_Shit _that _hurt_!' Then he proceeded to communicate back to them, his fingers typing rapidly on the keys beneath him, too rapidly to be any sort of greeting. Spock was suspicious, but then suppressed the emotion as illogical._

'_I did state that Captain.' Uhura replied, almost smugly, her professionalism preventing her from gloating completely. 'May I ask what they said?'_

'_They said "thank you for your assistance, please hurry, when will you get here, we need help urgently" In a nutshell, I replied that we'd get there as soon as possible.'_

_Approximately ten minutes later they arrived at their intended co-ordinates to find a ship in a dark moss coloured alloy, boxy in apparel, especially next to the sleek elegance of the Enterprise. It seemed stable and strong if slightly outdated, nothing indicated anything out of the ordinary._

'_With all due respect Captain, I am detecting an ever-increasingly likelihood that this is a trap.' Spock pointed out fairly, but Kirk was too excited to listen._

'_Alright we need to scope out the joint before we let any medical personnel beam down onto this ship. As Captain I'll ask Scotty to beam up down, Lieutenant Uhura, as this is a new species I'll need your Xenolinguistic abilities and Security Officer Jones in case there are any disturbances. Commander Spock, your acting Captain until I return, it's your job to maintain the ship until I call for you to beam down also, I know you'll be anxious to explore a new species.'_

'_Yes Captain.' He said nothing else but looked at Nyota, he was concerned for her once more and his eyes gave him away. She glanced at him and smiled warmly, excitement practically dancing in her eyes, he marvelled at her beauty in a way that wasn't appropriate for the situation. _Don't worry I'll be fine _was conveyed in her look, as always she knew how to reassure him. He nodded back to her._

'_I'll be monitoring your frequency.' He mumbled into her ear before she left. Catching his reference, she chuckled._

'_Thank you Spock.' She glanced around and, when she saw nobody was looking, kissed him briefly. With that, she left the bridge, hurrying to catch up to their over enthusiastic Captain._

_That was the last time he had seen her._

_The next thing he knew was the computer was being overridden and their shields were down completely, panic was exploding in the atmosphere, uncertainty, confusion, alarms were sounding off as they were hit by their now exposed enemy. Damage to the ship was at 10% and their weapons had been disabled by a virus the enemy had clearly sent their way._

_Spock was unsure of the events transpiring on the unknown ship, but he had been right to assume it was a trap. He continued to give orders in a calm, rational manner, but was growing increasingly worried for his Captain, and especially his Nyota._

_Then, suddenly, the ship was encompassed in a blinding white light, and he felt a searing undeniable pain, the world seemed to dissolve right before his very eyes and he knew in that moment, that his life was over._

'Nyota_…' was his last thought and then- there was nothing._

_***_

Spock opened his eyes, realisation dawned on him and he was astounded at how this had never occurred to his superior intellect before. It came to mind that perhaps he did not want to believe it- that his friend had…

The computers had been overridden by a virus, the enemy had been able to do things to the U.S.S Enterprise that were simply not possible to do with the much less advanced technology the obviously possessed. They had to have had outside help, an insider that provided the information. They needed specific codes in order to hack into the Enterprise systems…

Codes only a Captain would have access to.

**Dun Dun DUUUUUUUUN! What are they going to do?! What are you going to do? Review perhaps? Please do, I offer cookies! (Sorry for Le Cliffy again)**


	6. Past, Present and Future Collide

**We've heard Spock's side of the story, but what really happened once they beamed down from the ship? I think it's high time Uhura and I gave our faithful readers and amazing reviewers an explaination! So please, enjoy, and don't forget to review!**

**Once again I don't own star trek, I'm just letting my creativity fly like the Enterprise does in space, would you stop the Enterprise?! No? Then don't stop me! (See, I can be logical too! Bwahahaha...ok maybe not.) **

Chapter Five- A Place Where Past, Present, Future Collide.

_Uhura's excitement was dying with every second, being replaced with anxiety that she forced herself to suppress. She was on duty, she was a Lieutenant, and she was not going to cower from an unusual situation. However, Spock's comment that this whole situation may be a trap burst into the forefront of her mind with a violent potency that caused her heart to unwillingly beat faster. Captain Kirk, Security Officer Jones and herself had beamed onto the apparently distressed ship, discovering a dank, dark and overall depressing place. Wires were strewn hap-hazardously about and rust creeping on the walls, fizzing and spitting of electrical sparks could be heard. They must have been on the observation deck, as a one wall was purely glass and Uhura could see the Enterprise, she cast a small smile towards it._

'_This is kind of weird isn't it? How empty it is. It's…creepy.' Jones cast his sea green eyes towards Uhura and grinned, getting his laser out as he did so. She rolled her eyes, _boys_ she thought. 'All part of the fun I guess.'_

'_Ok where the heck is everybody?' The Captain voiced what she was thinking in a rather frank manner, she glanced at him- curious as to what his reaction to his would be. Monitoring his expressions, she believed his boyish glee had thoroughly disappeared and she found herself frowning- as she was one who liked to progress swiftly- she did not like being presented with dead ends, it was her ultimate pet peeve. Deciding to actually _do_ something other then stand around uselessly, she lifted her communicator to her lips._

'_Lieutenant Uhura to the Enterprise.' There was a brief moment of static before she heard the sound of her beloved replying._

'_This is the Enterprise, Lieutenant, proceed.'_

'_There seem to be no life forms of any kind in the area we beamed down to. The ship looks fairly run down though, so we might be looking at a few casualties. With the Captain's permission, I think we're going to explore more of the-' Her transmission was interrupted when a shot split the air, the sound being somewhere between the crack of a whip and a minor explosion. There was a simultaneous flash of searing white light and Uhura was thrown several feet from where she was standing, crashing to the ground and rolling until she slammed against a wall, groaning from the shock and pain. She slumped forwards, gasping for air which her lungs could seemingly not grasp at. Her body clenched, pulsing from the bruises and cuts that were open and raw. There was yelling, but she could not tell who from, being dazed and disorientated- a male voice was screaming as another blast echoed through the atmosphere, a loud thud, and then- silence._

'_Lieutenant come in…Lieutenant Uhura, please state your current situation.' Amazingly, her communicator still worked, she crawled over to where it was, noting that Spock's voice carried more urgency than normal, even if it did sound exactly the same to the untrained ear._

'_I'm…fine, though I believe you were right Commander, I think it was a trap. We seem to have been attacked, by what I'm unsure.' She looked up however she could see no sign of her attackers, but this did nothing to ease her fear- as what was drawn to her attention instead was something far more daunting. 'Jones is dead.' She exhaled closing her eyes._

'_Inform the Captain we are beaming you back to the ship immediately.' He replied firmly and hurriedly whilst Uhura pulled herself to her feet, her muscles moaned in protest to the movements. _

_Now that she had a better view she realised with horror, her voice wavering slightly 'The Captain isn't here.' Without warning, she felt a sharp and great pain pulsating through her head and a high pitched noise- several inflections higher than nails on a chalk board filled her mind. She choked, her throat making a strange strangling noise._

'_Lieutenant?' _**Sleep, Life-form**_, was all she heard inside her mind, in a voice not her own- it was as if her brain had suddenly grown too big to hold her skull and she dropped the communicator, screaming._

'_Nyota, please respond.'_

**Sleep.**

_Then her world went dark._

_***_

_When she awoke, blinking as everything came slowly back into focus, she found herself feeling wholly unwell, her mind throbbed as if she had a million hangovers at once and her stomach wished to have it's contents removed vehemently. Once fully present and accounted for, Uhura noted she was in a different room that looked almost exactly like the one she had been in previous, save for less wires and the addition of a few rusting metal pieces of furniture. A dull and pale green light filled the room- succeeding in adding more menace to the atmosphere. She worried as to the location of Jones' body, for a moment- for she did not want to leave it behind if they were able to beam back, before being snapped out of her thoughts when she heard her Captain yelling._

'_Just tell me who the hell you are and what you want with MY ship you asshole!' His body was leaning forward aggressively towards a figure donned in a plain brown cloak which reminded Uhura of ancient Medieval Monks. Underneath his hood, however, she caught a glimpse of black and silvery grey skin, completely covered with what appeared to be pale little etchings- like little white scabs, everything else was completely hidden. The two were separated by a large disk-shaped table._

_In what had to be some sort of miracle, Uhura managed to stand up, realising that she had been laid down on a pod of some sort. Making her way towards the Captain, she felt her legs were more wobbly then she liked, but she held herself high. Only at that moment did she realise there were more cloaked figures lurking in the shadows of the room. Kirk noticed her and his expression softened, worry crossed it briefly and before he could ask she answered, not wanting to seem like a weak damsel 'I'm fine.' before turning angrily to the figure Kirk had been yelling at previously. She analysed the situation in a split second, it appeared they used a sort of telekinesis in communication and were able to induce sleep in other beings. They spoke to her in her second, and most frequently used, language whilst in her mind, so she spoke to them in standard._

'_I know you can understand me, so listen up! You made us believe you were under distress, you tricked us, trapped us, and then you attack the Starfleet officers that offered to help you, and actually murder one of them in cold blood!? Considering this could be viewed as an act of war- you'd better start explaining yourselves!'_

'_Jones is dead?' Kirk replied meeting Uhura's gaze, she nodded sadly. 'You bastards! I order you to tell me what the hell you think you're doing?' He spat at the cloaked enemy._

'_We do not feel the need to convey any explanations to pathetic life forms such as yourselves.' A males hissing voice screeched inside her head and she doubled over in pain once more, she observed the Captain had done the same so he must have heard what had been said. They recovered and Kirk took it upon himself to change tactics._

'_Ok look, just tell us what you want, I can arrange negotiations, we can help you if you want. Starfleet is first and foremost, intent on spreading peace throughout the galaxy. We do not wish to initiate any hostility.' Uhura's respect for him overtook her indifference at that moment._

'_We do not wish for peace with species inferior to our own.' They doubled over, clutching their heads once more, and with that the figure raised his hand, a shrivelled bony thing with three long fingers and a sharp blade-like thumb._

_Suddenly Uhura heard the whirring of a mechanism and before she had a chance to react, the blood red light from a laser-fire lit up the room in a horrific, nightmarish way. She rushed towards the window just in time to see the weapon strike the Enterprise, the roar of the explosion ripped through her very being. Her eyes widened, her mouth opened, and once more she could not breathe. How was this possible? How could they have done that to such a well-shielded ship? Such questions would haunt the dark recesses of her mind long after this terrible event. Uhura placed a trembling hand onto the freezing glass, she couldn't comprehend what was transpiring._

_For one brief second, she felt a blind panic that was not her own but it vanished as quickly as it came._

'Spock.' _She thought._

_She couldn't move._

_The sweat dripped down her back, her pupils were dilated and she could hear her breath coming in deeply but sharply, painfully. She knew all these things, and yet she was detached from herself as if it couldn't be happening._

'_No…' she heard somebody say, perhaps it was her, it was a woman at least 'NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! NO!'_

_Another voice, male this time, definitely not hers 'DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY SHIP! IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO IT, I SWEAR IT'LL BE THE LAST ORDER YOU EVER-' a thud, and grunt of pain, loud clattering noises… and the other voice was silenced._

'_CAPTAIN KIRK!'_

_What could she do, what could she do? How could she stop it? She had to! She had to do something, anything._

'_It is too late for you now, we have had enough of your foolish attempts at peace, at your laughable threats. We no longer need you or your precious ship. You are unnecessary, and shall therefore be eradicated.' a deep hissing voice echoed in her head, causing her to shriek in pain, fall to her knees…she had to stop this happening…she had to stop it!_

_She couldn't stop it._

_She watched as her friends, her ship, her home…the only man she would ever love- dissolved from existence right before her eyes. No echoing blast, no explosion, nothing that would denote the fact that her whole life was being destroyed. It should have ended differently, if it had to have ended at all. The Universe should have been ripped to shreds, explosions should have roared throughout space, thunder and lightning should have crackled, shattering everything that ever lived and stopped anything from living ever again the very second that the Enterprise was eliminated._

_Her heart had not left that ship…and now she knew she would never get it back._

_They had vanished._

_They had all gone._

_They were all dead._

_She shook her head, no it couldn't be true, it couldn't be true. She searched, she knew she could find Spock if she tried- they had mind melded once before, but as it wasn't as strong as a marital bond they could only feel each others extreme emotions, and call to each other in such circumstances._

'SPOCK!' _Her mind screamed, desperately trying to reach out, to find him- only to find she was grasping at nothing._

'_SPOCK!' She screamed aloud, her voice trembling, at that time she forgot who she was, what her station was, how she should hold herself, she was ripped from that life in a matter of seconds. But still she held on a type of hope that they would return._

'_Uhura!' Someone was grabbing her shoulder, she shrugged him off, not tearing her eyes away from where the Enterprise should have been. 'UHURA! COME ON! We've got to get out of here.'_

_The next few moment were a blur to her, she amazingly managed to pull herself out of her stupor thanks to her Captains sharp words, and her denial, and they used their laser guns to make their way out of the situation, alarms were sounding, there would be more enemies arriving soon. The cloaked figures moved so quickly and swiftly one could not even make out there pace, it was almost as if they disappeared in one area and materialised in another. This made them very difficult targets. And so they had no choice but to run- not sure where they were going, holding onto a desperate, fearful hope. Uhura had never been so scared, so alone, even with her Captain there, never had she been so unsure._

'_Here!' Kirk called and motioned to a shuttle which they both leapt in to. It was the best chance they had._

_As the technology was rather basic in comparison to the Enterprise, despite it being foreign, they were able to navigate it with relative simplicity. When they were far away from the main ship, Uhura realised- as her heart rate came down 'They're not following us.'_

'_Well we're light years away from any planet, maybe they think we won't survive.' They didn't talk about what happened, both barely able to believe it. The silence, even when they spoke, was both stifling and cold at the same time. Somewhere in Uhura's shock, there was a dull ache, but she could not feel it at the time, shock was still controlling her._

'_I think…I can make a distress call, though I don't know who will hear it.'_

'_Do it.' Kirk replied, his voice sounded like he had been raked through sandpaper._

_Once Uhura had made the distress call, she was astounded to receive and immediate response from a federation ship not far from them. They would have to wait an hour at the most._

'_So now we wait.' Kirk replied slumping back into his chair. 'I…Uhura?'_

'_Yes Capt-?' She replied, gasping slightly, finding herself unable to complete the formality._

'_I'm- I'm sorry.' He choked, his throat making a strangling noise and he buried his face in his hands. Uhura turned away, shock was still pulsating through her, confused, unable to feel anything in particular. She ignored her cuts and bruises, her possibly broken wrist, for she felt almost completely numb._

_It was only after her feet touched the stable ground of the U.S.S. Kennedy, in a small, private guest quarters- when she realised that everyone was gone, that she would never serve aboard the Enterprise again. Her dream was destroyed, her best friends murdered, the love of her life, dead…dead…dead, all were dead! And just like that, her world crumbled._

_She collapsed onto her bed, feeling the weakest she ever had in her entire life, and cried with more grief, more agony, more emptiness than she had ever believed possible._

_***_

'Wake up sleepyhead.' Uhura woke to a poke in the arm and realised with embarrassment, that she had fallen asleep on the transporter. She looked blearily up at Kirk, who's teasing smile vanished when he saw the expression in her eyes. She supposed they must have contained the ache she was feeling in the aftermath of her dream. 'Are you ok?'

'Bad dream, that's all.' She shrugged it off, attempting a small smile of reassurance. He nodded understandingly.

'Right well, our stop, it's time to get up' Dread filled her as they moved off the transporter, questions such as _what does Admiral Pike want with us? What news does he have that's so important that we have been summoned back so forcefully?_ filled her mind. Luckily Kirk provided babbling distractions from her thoughts. 'You know you really need to sleep more, you spend too much time grading papers, personally that's the worst part of teaching. It just takes too much time, when I could be at a bar chatting to some hot blonde thing.'

Uhura laughed despite her feelings. 'So why don't you just give everyone a B, without reading them, and head to your precious bar for a night of drunken fun?'

Kirk's eyes widened as if her were an enlightened being and a beam lit up his face. 'God, Uhura, you're the best! But is someone like you suggesting I do something so unethical? Hell must be getting chillier, because that thought never occurred to me!'

'That's because you're stupid and I was just kidding.' Uhura grinned playfully as they made their way through the crowd.

'Well I'm not kidding! That's a brilliant idea! Bring on the booze! Yeah!' He punched the air marching ahead of her and cackling to himself, this warranted a few stares from passers by. Uhura was reminded of their days as almost-carefree cadets and, rolling her eyes, she followed him. Turning a corner, she bumped into his back. Rubbing her nose she sought to chide him.

'Kirk, what the-' She glanced over his shoulder, only to find what had made him stop short. Immediately she felt the change in atmosphere, the tension in her own being. The Academy was a sleek, as grand, as awe-inspiring as it had always been in her mind but now it carried a different air to it. Uhura's memories were infected with the toxin of the tragedy that seemed to be affecting the way she perceived her past, her present…

…and now her future as well.

**Can't you just feel the tension mounting? I'm trying to keep a good balance between humour, sadness, suspense and love, am I succeeding? I don't have Vulcan superpowers, so I can't read your mind, so please review and let me know if I'm doing ok! I offer sunshine lollipops and rainbows! (^o^) Until the next time!**


	7. Here

**Hi everyone! Here's a new chapter! I'm dedicating this chapter to all my reviewers- thank you all so much for reading, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope you review it too! (Special thanks to Carsonsgirl- who's PM totally made my day) you all actually make me feel like I can write an interesting story! Which is great because I want to be a published author one day. **

**This chapter took a while because it's a piviotal moment in the story, and I wanted it to be as clear and as descriptive as possible. (That's all I'm giving away here, you'll just have to read it, heehee)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek *insert witty comment here* nor do I own the excerpt at the beginning of the chapter- which is a quote from Phillip Larkin's poem entitled _"Here" _I thought it complimented the story.**

Chapter Six- Here.

_"Lonliness clarifies. Here silence stands like heat…_

_Here is unfenced existence: _

_Facing the sun, untalkative, out of reach."_

The glare of the sun reflecting on the Academy hurt Uhura's eyes. She moved her hand up to her face to shield herself but already little coloured dots burned her vision every time she blinked and she felt a sense of painful, dizzying nausea. To be here, in a place that held so many memories, so many turning points of her life, so many moments that affected both her and the ones she had known and loved- still love in fact, and would never stop loving- was so incredibly overwhelming that her heart raised to her throat and her lungs transformed to lead, heavy, and barely able to take in air. She had never felt more out of place, and to feel alien in a place she had once called home, had once made her so happy, broke her heart. Loneliness scratched at her being, waves of forlornness eroded the sands of what little strength she had built up over the past months. She sighed, shakily, nervously- she was not ready for this.

'Wow.' She tilted her head to the side, noticing Kirk exhale and run a wobbly hand through his sandy hair- her loneliness subsided slightly- replaced by what had come to be friendly affection and appreciation for her former Captain. At least she wasn't the only one to be going through this.

'Wow?' She questioned, he met her inquisitive look.

'Wow.' He nodded, and she understood.

'Yeah. Wow.' She nodded back, her eyes briefly travelling back to Starfleet.

'Wowie.' She turned back, he was grinning his normal cocky smile, she caught onto his absurd game of distraction and followed suit.

'…Wowie?' She reply, raising her eyebrow.

'Wowzers.' He bowed at her, she hesitated for a moment before bowing back- wondering what the hell they were doing, but finding that with Kirk, it was just easier to roll with the punches. Grief and anxiety did strange things to people after all. And with that, they walked toward the Academy, the glare of the sun seemed to soften. Some Cadets, who had free study periods- or were skipping, were lounging on benches, under trees, laughing, idly talking with their peers, basking in the warmth of the afternoon like happy cats. There was a sense of calm here that seemed to place Kirk and Uhura in a glass box- for both of them felt juxtaposed to the whole atmosphere- it was almost mocking.

Uhura took a deep breath and stood tall and proud, despite her reluctance, she would be strong- she would not run away from this. One day, she could look back on this place with more fondness than pain. Today was not that day, but that didn't mean she would hide from it. So she kept walking. If it wasn't for Starfleet, after all, she would have never accomplished her dream of seeing other worlds, of travelling amongst the stars, of being the multi-xenolingual expert she was. She would also have never formed such amazing friendships, grown to adore her dysfunctional Enterprise family, and found a love that was deeper and more real to her then anything she had ever known.

'_Nyota…k'diwa' He whispered against her skin, his breath tickling her neck until she didn't know whether to laugh or pull him closer, so she did both. It was an odd and wonderful feeling- to have her heart be so full, but that what it was like when they were together- when he said such wonderful things. Vulcans made terms of endearments __so much more beautiful, _he _made her feel so much more beautiful- inside and out._

She shook her head, pushing the memory back into it's special box (where it could be kept safe and away but not forgotten) before she began to cry and looked around the campus, tensing just that little bit more. Kirk was ahead of her- in a world of his own, hands balled into fists, head tilted to the ground. She knew he didn't want to look at it, didn't want to face it any more than she did. Because not only did it bring back so many black and tar-like feelings, it also brought back questions. Glancing around at the peace, the happiness, the life, one of these questions came to mind.

_How and why, did it come to this?_

***

_Tick_

_Tock_

_Tick_

_Tock_

_Tick_

_Tock_

Admiral Pike had installed an antique grandfather clock into his office, it sat behind his desk in the middle of the wall, shiny and brown and beautiful in all it's old-time glory. Standing in his modern, sleek office however, it looked entirely out of place. As Uhura glanced at Kirk and then at herself, in regular civilian clothing- smart yet casual at the same time- she couldn't help but identify with the clock, which she decided she liked and was going to focus on very hard. She had always been a fan of quirky antiques.

'Please take a seat.' She complied, still looking at the clock, and noticed Kirk sitting also. Save for its ticking, the silence- the tension- in the room was palpable. Uhura crossed her legs, feeling- well- _weird _was the only word she could come up with.

_And I'm supposed to be the best xenolinguist in Starfl- _she stopped halfway through the thought, and shifted ever so-slightly in her seat.

'I'm sure you're wondering why I've dragged you two back here.' Pike spoke after what seemed like an eternity. Uhura tensed even more when he spoke, her heart raced.

'Yeah, it'd be great if you could clear that up for us.' Kirk sounded a mixture of cocky and respectful. It was amazing how he could combine the two so well, just like when he was a cadet.

'Well, as you know, before the Enterprise's destruction-' Uhura's heart twanged painfully, she wanted to cringe- but stubbornness and dignity held her in place '-you discovered a new species. Over the past couple of months, Starfleet have managed to directly contact and form an alliance with that species- they are called the Yulvokians, their primary means of communication is telekinesis. They are now part of the federation. And they have proved very necessary in disclosing certain aspects of the Enterprises downfall that were currently unknown to Starfleet. They have representatives here at the moment, waiting outside- that can probably explain a hell of a lot better than I can. Do you want them to? We can do it with or without them.'

Kirk stood up from his seat immediately, the chair screeching as he did so, and Uhura almost flinched. She gazed at her lap, outwardly a vision of calm reflectivity, inside- a whirlpool, a sandstorm, an earthquake, a fiery volcano of conflicting emotions. She didn't want to face them. The Yulvokians were- to her- like the shadows in nightmares that somehow made you run slower, made you trip, made everything possible go wrong until the evil that haunted your nightmare caught up with you, and you woke up screaming. They were the creaky staircases on Halloween, the monsters under the bed, the ghosts in the attic.

But, she was a woman who always searched for clarity, to break free of ignorance and unawareness, to expand her knowledge- especially when it came to new worlds. Whether it was because she back at the academy that had taught her so much, or because she had finally had enough of living in the dark, Uhura sat up dead straight- looked Pike directly in the eye and said with more command then she meant to 'Send them in. I want answers.'

Before Pike could do anything, two figures in sea green robes entered his office, hoods covering their heads. Uhura braced herself for the pain of the explanation- on all levels.

'_We understand your need for answers, we hope to give them to you in the foreseeable future. __**Calm, if you will it so**__.'_Two voices whispered delicately, like a mothers caress, in her mind and Uhura felt suddenly, artificially calm, but she wanted to be- it was not forced. She somehow knew, and it surprised her, that these two Yulvokians were trustworthy- but there was something confusing to the whole scenario.

'Hold up. You guys sound nothing like…like those other ones…the ones that attacked us. It doesn't hurt.' Kirk pointed to his head, as if that explained everything. 'You don't even dress like them. What gives? You get the wrong species, Pike?' Both Uhura and Admiral Pike glared at Kirk, silently tell him to shut up- he in turn, hung his head, coughing sheepishly.

It was then that the two representatives lowered their hoods and pulled their hands out from the long sleeves of their cloaks and Uhura inhaled sharply. One was male, the other- female, and they were definitely the same species that trapped them. She remembered the soft greyish-silver skin hidden underneath those cloaks. They were a beautiful species, and Uhura was torn between her irrational hatred of them all, and her xenolinguistic need to know more. They had longer faces then humans, their lips were pure white, their eyes were smaller then that of humans- but they had larger iris', suggesting that they were more nocturnal than humans, their hair was beautiful silvery-blue that glistened almost supernaturally and flowed wonderfully long, past their hips. However, the ones that had destroyed them so mirthlessly carried an atmosphere of loathing, fear and insatiability- and they had little white scab-tattoos all over their bodies. These Yulvokians had no such markings, and she felt calmer in their exquisite, benevolent presence.

It was like comparing a viper to a koala bear.

'_We assure you the ones that attacked you so mercilessly were of Yulvokian ancestry. Yet they are in no way representative of our culture. They are what you may refer to in your society, as rogues, a gang intent on personal gain. Our culture denotes prosperity through peace and fair and equal trading. However, these group of rogues believe this is too much of a slow and worthless project, as we only create as much as we need. They are consumed by greed, and believe we will not progress this way, so they create turmoil through violence, vandalism and thieving. Four months ago, they created an elaborate scheme to steal our most powerful spaceship, just recently built solely for the purpose of attempting to discover other planets, for peacemaking and trading. They succeeded._

_Here, we shall explain the part which concerns you. Our ship was equipped with weapons that might cause damage to other vessels in the event of attack- but as we are a peaceful race- our knowledge of weaponry is rather basic. We do not believe that any weapon affixed to our ship would have been enough to eradicate your ship, especially not through shields as sophisticated as the ones you have described to us. We have a theory. We believe that the rouges would not destroy the Enterprise- such a valuable ship with so many irreplaceable crewmembers would hold a heavy ransom- and gain through any means is absolutely essential to their survival. _

_As we often rely on trading large quantities of items for our economic stability, our technology matches this. Our ship had attached to it, a transporter beam, which would be able to easily and quickly send large quantities of goods we hoped to have traded with other planets (should we have discovered any) back to our home planet. We believe they could have, after reconfiguring energy supplies, sustained enough energy to transport the Enterprise to an unknown location and hold it hostage until they could find the means to contact the Federation.'_

'All the cables…' Uhura mumbled, everyone turned to look at her, she looked up at Kirk- his eyes were slightly unfocused in wonderment, in confusion. Her heartbeat was painful now, and rapidly rising. 'All those cables on the floor and walls- it must have been from where they were reconfiguring the energy supplies.'

'_That is logical, Miss Uhura.' _Forgetting her poise in her confusion, she cringed at the use of that certain word. What they were saying made sense but…could she dare hope? Even for a second? She was so very scared of her hopes being dashed again, of the pain that would bring.

She was so afraid of pain. Not physical pain- but of having to endure such emptiness again. She was a strong woman, but she was not made of steel.

'But how did they get past the shields?' Kirk slumped back into his seat, elbow on the arm rest, two fingers on his temple. She had no idea what was going through his mind apart from that, and the question he asked plagued her suddenly. She had no idea how she herself should feel. After what seemed like an eternity of wishing that it wasn't true, that the Enterprise- that Spock…

'Until recently this was just a theory until we received a communiqué from the gang leader which revealed some rather… disturbing information.' Pike replied as he spun around his desktop communicator. 'Brace yourself- I don't know how these bastards did it, but they managed to communicate through our technology.'

'I have a question.' Uhura directed it to the woman Yulvokian woman, who's blue eyes sparkled like the bay on a clear day- only deeper, with more understanding. It was as if she knew what her question would be. 'Why does it hurt when they communicate with us, but not when you do?'

'_Our methods of communications rely on several factors, predominantly we must adjust the way we communicate with others based on their brain frequencies and capacities. The rogues do not seem to care for the wellbeing of others, and talk to others the way they in turn would talk to themselves. As it is adjusted to Yulvokian brain frequencies- it would make sense that it would cause you discomfort.'_

Kirk scoffed 'Discomfort?'

At this point Pike flicked the communicator on and Uhura's heart nearly leapt clean out of her mouth, all her internal organs seemed to want to escape- as did she. Never had she felt such an internal confliction to both run and seek out answers simultaneously.

There, right on the screen- as if it were an everyday occurrence, was the Yulvokian that had destroyed her whole world.

'_Greetings Starfleet. We are the Yulvokians.' _All but the two Yulvokia representatives winced, it was painful- but nowhere near as excruciating as Uhura and Kirk knew it could be- the communicator lessened the impact. Uhura forced herself to look at the screen, the hooded figure of her nightmares faced her, one of his bony hands raised, half of his tattooed face hidden.

That was not what made both Kirk and Uhura gasp however. As she leant into the screen she noticed something, she recognised the Leader's location. That sleek elegant white technology, the multitude of many coloured buttons and their wide and varied meanings, hope unabashedly burst forth from her being before she could contain it. Her eyes widened, her body trembled, for she suddenly knew just where the Leader was transmitting his message from.

The bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise.

'_We simply wanted to inform you that we have your flagship, and all its crewmembers alive. If you want to keep it that way- we have some demands that we will send you in the next few days. That is all we will disclose for now.'_

Uhura's whole body was physically aching. Alive, alive?! But were they ok? Were they hurt? Her mind was racing, tumbling, unfurling. Was it simply a trick?

_Spock?_

In the next moment however, everything shattered.

'_Oh, and before we sign off, we would just like to give our thanks to Captain Kirk. Without his collaboration- we would have not succeeded in getting past the Enterprises defences so easily. Until we speak again.'_

The communicator fizzed and turned off.

The silence in the room was far worse than before. It cackled and mocked and stabbed the air, it felt like a silent thunderstorm was occurring. When Uhura looked at Kirk his body was rigid, his face drained of all colour, he was shaking his head in disbelief. Suddenly everything fell horrifically into place. The way he suddenly changed missions, his long communication to them, his excitement at beaming down onto the ship, his slightly unfocused eyes.

He had been involved in it, this whole time, they had called to him with their telekinesis whilst they had been on a routine mission, he had responded, and then together, they had collaborated, had set up the whole thing.

She had let him live in her home- the man that helped bring down the Enterprise.

In one frantic moment, she stood up ferociously, furiously. 'No…no…HOW COULD YOU?! NO!'

She lunged for him, Pike stood up in his chair rapidly, making a grab for her, but all movement stopped when Uhura met Kirk's eyes, and she saw in them something she had never seen- they glistened with pure fear, utter disbelief, desperation. He looked like a drowning man. He wanted her so urgently to disbelieve all the evidence stacked up against him. Uhura remembered the man who promised her fallen boyfriend he would take care of her, who playfully teased her, who sat down to breakfast with her every morning and talked to her- made her pain more bearable.

Uhura, hands balled up into fists, sunk back into her chair, taking deep breaths to calm herself _It couldn't be true…could it? This is Kirk we're talking about. Don't forget that Uhura, keep it together, think rationally._

Kirk stood up immediately, the amount of sitting and standing they were all doing was starting to make her dizzy. 'THIS IS BULLSHIT!' He span around to Pike, slamming his palms down on the desk 'Pike you know this is bullshit! I didn't do anything! It was my ship, my friends, my home! You know it's not true!'

Pike sighed and rub his temples 'Yes, Kirk, I have faith in you- but we can't deny such strong accusations. I'm sorry.' He looked at Uhura here. 'These orders are from higher up, James. T. Kirk you're a suspect now, so I have no choice but to place you under arrest.'

Uhura left her chair, backing up as two bodyguards came into the room ( just as the two Yulvokian representatives left wordlessly) and dragged a struggling Kirk out, she began shaking. 'NO I DIDN'T DO IT, UHURA, YOU KNOW I WOULDN'T DO IT! TELL THEM TO LET ME GO! PIKE TELL 'EM TO STOP! UHURA! UHURA!'

She could hear him still screaming down the hallway, and only when the door was closed did her whole body give out. Collapsing back into her chair her entire body quivered violently as she raised a shaky hand to her face, covering her mouth in shock, she was surprised when her hand grew wet. Silent tears crashed down her face. She couldn't breathe. He heart throbbed so painfully she thought she may be having an attack. She thought she may vomit. _Oh God, oh God, oh God._

'Uhura.' Pike's voice came from the abyss. She didn't respond to him. 'Ah hell with it.' He walked over to her and lifted her up, pulling her into a tight, fatherly embrace. In any other situation, she would probably have been mortified, but she had always been close to Admiral Pike. He was like a father figure to Spock.

_Spock…alive. Kirk…a traitor? After all this time-_ That was all she needed to completely break down. Sobbing into Pike's chest, she didn't know whether it was relief, confusion, anger, disbelief, broken trust, shock- probably a combination of them all. All she knew was, after so long of holding back tears, she was wailing like an infant ripped from their parents loving arms. She didn't know what to think anymore.

When she finally regained some of her composure she took a tissue from her purse and cleaned her face as if it were normal. 'I'm sorry Admiral, it was just…all of this is a bit much.'

'You don't have to explain to me Uhura.' He grinned sadly, encouragingly, and Uhura felt a tiny bit better. 'but there's one thing I have to ask of you. Since the Enterprise hasn't been destroyed, your reason for leaving Starfleet is…rather redundant isn't it?'

She smiled slightly, the realisation was starting to sink in. _Spock._ 'Yes- I suppose it is.'

'And I'm sure you want to help with the mission to help rescue them right? But you can't do that if you're just an ordinary citizen.'

Her small smile faded. 'No.'

'I have permission to reinstate you with your consent. So what do you say, do you want to be Lieutenant Uhura again?' He asked softly, resting on his desk top. She began crying once more, small tears of longing, hope, happiness

'More than anything in the world.' She replied, swallowing.

In one swift movement, he pulled an item from one of his drawers and Uhura gasped when she recognised it. Her old Starfleet badge. He presented it to her and she pinned it onto her dress, poking her fingers several times, feeling a sense of wonder. It was like a dream. The weight of it felt warm and comforting against her chest.

'We'll give you an official ceremony after the mission is over, but as of now you are officially on duty. Go back to your apartment, get some belongings, and come back here for debriefing. Rescue mission begins at fifteen hundred hours tomorrow afternoon. Welcome back Lieutenant Uhura.'

***

Uhura…_Lieutenant Uhura_, sat on the back of a bench overlooking the bay. Wind whipped her hair as she stood watching the orangey sky. It was so beautiful up here, she had forgotten. Once again there were so many conflicting emotions in her, but now for completely different reasons. After vomiting rather violently, she felt slightly better- slightly. She'd had more time to get her head around everything now, but some things still didn't make sense, and it all still seemed so unreal.

Spock was alive, and there was a very real possibility she would see him again. Her heart felt so much lighter at the thought- but the pain of the loss was still there, as if she could scarcely believe it. Kirk was a suspect in the case- that was even harder to believe. The man who had helped her, turned from Captain to close friend, betray them all so harshly? It didn't add up. She thought of how the Yulvokian's seemed to have a level of mind control- they had made her pass out, they had filled her with artificial calm. Maybe they had controlled him as well? She wasn't prepared to accept the womanizer, the comforter, the friend and perfect pancake maker- wanted the whole crew of the Enterprise dead, or held hostage. She had seen the way he suffered, there was no way it could have been an act- if only she could prove it.

She was Lieutenant Uhura again, ready to fly amongst the stars once more. To rescue the man she loved, her Starfleet family. She was prepared to do anything. And she _would _succeed. Once more, Uhura was filled with the fire that had been missing in her for a long time. She clutched her Starfleet badge tightly, staring up at the sky, she made a heartfelt vow.

'Hold on guys, I'm coming! Don't you worry, everything will be alright! You'll see, I'm going to kick their asses!'_ Then I'm going to hold you Spock, and kiss you, and make love to you, and I'm never going to let you go, hold on Spock- I'm coming for you most of all! I love you._

Sharply, like a bolt of lightning, she felt very distant emotions of relief, of concern caressing her longingly. She gasped, and clasped at her heart.

'Spock.' She choked in a whisper, swaying slightly. With that Uhura spun on her heel and rushed home, happy, hopeful, fearful…

And totally unaware that she was being followed.

**LE CLIFFY STRIKES AGAIN! Please review! I offer more chapters and vanilla fudge/ yummy chocolate.**


	8. Double Crossed

**And here we are with another chapter! I am so so so sorry about it's lateness! I went on holiday, and I couldn't write or update for a while. I got some good ideas though, so hopefully it was all for the best! I'm sorry my wonderful reviewers had to wait but I really hope it pays off. The story is getting more and more complicated so it also takes a while for me to sort through what ideas are "logical" and which ones are less so lol.**

**Anyway once again thank you for your amazing reviews, you guys are SO AWESOME! (^_^) Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters blah blah blah, wish I owned Spock, blah blah blah, but I don't and that makes me sad, blah blah blah, on with the story!**

Chapter Seven- Double Crossed.

'Shit!'

The force field cracked with electricity once more as Kirk threw himself against his side of the cell. He rubbed his arm where the third mild burn mark was already forming as an irritation against his pale skin. Cursing once more, he slumped into the smooth stone slab that was either his bed or a bench or both and rubbed his hands against his face. He had tried everything, screaming at the top of his lungs to be let out, proclaiming his innocence, trying to bribe a male guard and flirt with the woman one- both had completely ignored him. Forcing his way out was his last desperate shot and- like all the others, had completely and utterly failed.

_What do I do, Jesus Christ, what do I do?! Uhura…she's must hate me! _He thought of the look on her face back in Pike's office, and had to force back bile. _And what if Spock or the crew- what if they hear about it? They'll all hunt me down._ Kirk was reminded of the last time he'd felt the wrath of his Vulcan first mate- and shuddered, he'd receive far worse if they ever got a hold of him. If only he could get them to believe him. They had to! It was his word against the bad guys…although even he had to admit- the odds were against him.

Still- he felt without a shadow of a doubt, that he'd rather they were alive and believing he was a traitor, then dead following him faithfully. At least they had their lives- that is all he had wanted since the moment he saw the Enterprise disappear. He had a great love for his ship, but his love for his crew outshone it by a million stars. Losing the Enterprise was nothing, _nothing_, in comparison to losing the camaraderie, the smiles, the laughter, the warm feeling of having a family and _belonging _somewhere- something he had never felt before joining Starfleet.

He smiled, wide and true, happiness elevated him for a moment and he forgot about his troubles. No matter what happened to him, they were alive, he had no doubt in Starfleets ability to rescue them- they were _alive_! They got to live out the rest of their lives, Bones, Spock, Sulu, Chekov, Scotty- all of them! They got to _live_, it was amazing! He didn't consider himself much of a believer, but it was a miracle. They were alive- and that was worth anything that happened to him.

And yet- he was adamant he hadn't given the Yulvokian rogues the codes to his ship. Traitor wasn't a word James. T. Kirk associated himself with. Cocky, yes, womanizer, hell yeah, charming- without a doubt, but never a traitor. A fresh bubble of fury burst in his chest and his whole body shook with rage, he gritted his teeth and lay down- the hardness of the bench hurt his back- digging into his pressure points, cold and uncomfortable. He closed his eyes, attempting to calm himself down, but his mind was in torment.

_It was my ship damn it, my crew- my friends! I wouldn't give it away to some greedy hooded creeps, not without a fight- I was tricked- I had to have been…they must have brainwashed me or something. Frigging bastards- how am I supposed to get out of this mess?_…

***

Kirk was in the middle of a deep and terrible dream when he was suddenly called upon to wake by a calm, yet distinctly feminine, off-world voice. What was that strange and beautiful voice that called to him so? He had to wake to find out. So that was what he did.

Peeling open his eyes- it took him several seconds, and several bemused blinks to realise where he was. Judging from the light coming in from his cell, he hadn't been asleep for very long- but his muscles still ached, worry and happiness filled him when he remembered his situation. He sat up, stretched, stroked his now fairly stubbly chin…

…and came face to face with one of the Yulvokian representatives from earlier.

'BAH!' He leapt back with a jolt, his arms over his head in some ancient defensive manoeuvre.

'_Kirk, I believe your name is.' _The Yulvokian woman stated as if she talked to him from inside a cell with- Kirk suddenly realised- passed out guards lying on the floor only meters away every day. _'Don't be afraid at my presence, I am here to help you.'_

'Help me?' His voice was a bit sore from yelling, it sounded gruffer then he meant it to. 'Why do you want to help me?' He looked her up and down, realising she was as beautiful as he remembered her to be. If all Yulvokian women were as exquisite as her, they'd have to share top spot with Orion girls as his favourite… conquest. He raised his eyebrow cockily, a boyish grin spread about his features. But somewhere deep inside, his conscience mentally slapped him around the head _not now you idiot! Figure out a way to get out of this mess- hit on her later!_

'_Forgive me, I am not explaining myself right. My name is Arduinna, as you know I am a representative of the planet Yulvokia- intent on keeping peace between our races. But I bring grave news.'_

Kirk sat up more rigidly, shifting forwards slightly when he noticed something sparkle in her unfathomably deep blue eyes, she cast them downwards, one of her three fingers tracing the palm of her opposite hand in a type of calming ritual. He suddenly felt the urge to run, to help, to fight, to rescue. The protective pull he'd once felt towards his crew when he had been Captain was apparent in him once more and a word came to his mind- a word that made him bristle with fear, a word that didn't bring any comfort what so ever.

_Danger._

'Tell me what's wrong.' She met his eyes once more, he pleaded with his. 'I need to know, are my friends going to be hurt? What can I do?'

'_The other representative of my species, the male who was with me, Kolvon- I have reason to believe that he may be in league with the rogues that are holding your companions captive.'_

'You mean like a spy?' Arduinna bowed her head.

'_Yes, until now, he has seemed on our side. But after today's events, I retired to my quarters to find that he'd left me a message. He declared his loyalty to them- and he said he plans to tell the other rogues of Starfleet's rescue operation. But there is more- he also stated…' _she bit her lip, her teeth were sliver- _'that in order to reassert the rogues power over the situation, he is to take on another hostage- I do not know what he plans to do with this hostage, but I believe he has violent intentions, possibly fatal for the hostage. He has identified his victim also.'_

Kirk's chest was rising and falling dramatically, he was begging her not to say what he knew she was about to. He swallowed, subconsciously shaking his head.

'…Who is it?' He asked with more command then he felt. Arduinna met his eyes in a desperate stare.

'_He identified the woman as the one whom was in the last meeting with us, the other survivor of the Enterprise attack. Lieutenant Uhura of the U.S.S. Enterprise.'_

***

Uhura (_Lieutenant Uhura!_) had been back and forth between the academy and her apartment so many times she was in a daze. Now, thankfully, she was back at her apartment, after being debriefed on the rescue mission for two long but also exciting hours. Her heart rate hadn't calmed since she found out they were alive, that they lived- and she would play a part in getting her friends, her heart, back.

As for the situation with Kirk, she had talked to Pike- and he agreed with her that mind control was the most rational explanation and, considering she was a witness and now was reinstated into Starfleet, he agreed to talk to the higher ups and convince them to release him- though he made no promises toward success. It would have seemed absurd just a few months ago, but she wanted very much for Kirk to also be reinstated- for him to be her Captain once more, for him to come on this mission with her. She wanted him to take back what was essentially his ship.

Uhura had seen the way he suffered without his ship, his friends, his crew- the haunted look in his eyes- and yet he continued to be a caring and true friend to her without hesitation. He'd treated her with respect, they'd helped each other, he'd even promised Spock he would care for her- despite all he had to deal with himself. She would have to have a heart of stone not to realise that he deserved, along with her, to be right back in the action. It wasn't fair.

In these few short months, a man she had felt nothing but disdain and forced respect for had become one of her closest friends. It was odd how the world worked.

She sprawled out across her sofa, stroking the Starfleet uniform that she had placed on her person. It felt comfortable, as if the uniform stored happiness and anticipation that soaked into her skin like a sponge. She was happy, incandescently joyful, beyond all words- but somewhere deep inside her mind, was a sense of worry. What if the mission failed? What if something bad happened?

_We won't fail, it won't be like last time, we're ready, we're prepared- they aren't the unknown enemy they were before. I'm going to kick some Yulvokian ass! Then…I'm going to hug everyone so tightly and we're all going to laugh as if nothing happened, and Spock and I…_ her heart fluttered as it followed her thought process. Closing her eyes, her hand clutching the Starfleet badge pinned next to her heart, Uhura sighed peacefully, falling into a deep slumber…

…and because of this, she left herself completely and utterly defenceless.

***

_The wind was warm as it whipped across her face, tickling her bare shoulders, dancing with her free-flowing hair. It at first occurred to her that she was dreaming, but that wasn't the case- as realising she was dreaming normally resulted in her waking- but…something like this had happened before._

_She glanced down, she was wearing a long white dress with spaghetti straps that she was had once worn on a date with Spock when they had had shore leave, her long hair fell elegantly past her shoulders. _Long hair? _She thought frowning, _I cut my hair shorter, what's going on?

_She sat down on the yellow-brown rocks, staring out into the valleys that she had never visited before…and yet they felt oddly familiar. As if she had dreamt of them once before and half-forgotten them. Her memory of it was blurry, fragmented, and yet this place stood so clear and concise- it felt foreign._

'_Like a memory that isn't my own.' Uhura, eyes wide at this realisation, she was on Vulcan. She stood up in a flurry, her breath catching. _

_Turning around, she came face to face with the Vulcan who's mind she had inadvertently stepped into._

'_S-Spock.' She inwardly cursed at her stuttering, and then look into his eyes. He was staring at her intensely- so very intensely. His gaze burned her, melted the ice that had become her without him. Oh how she had missed that burning gaze. 'Spock I-'_

_But he had come to her, interrupted her by claiming her lips as only he could- their tongues danced together, he pressed her tightly to him and yet- it wasn't enough, it wasn't _real_, she needed more, she needed to feel him, to hold him, to kiss him for real. However, she knew it wasn't possible, and she was strong- she could hold on just a little longer, content to feel the love between them- more then content. Uhura felt whole once more as she felt his love for her radiating around them, around his mind. It was illogical (she inwardly laughed at herself) but she held him tighter as Spock ran his fingers through her hair._

_And she remembered- something like this had happened before, he had been calling out to her all this time, but through her grief, she had refused to believe it was more than her mind playing tricks. Though it was reasonable for her to have acted as such, she still felt like a fool._

'_Nyota. You have responded to my call, I am thankful.' He stated as he stroked her cheek lovingly. The guilt she felt in that moment made her look away, before she began crying. She shook her head._

'_I'm so sorry.' She whispered, wrapping his arms around his torso, burying her face into his chest- wishing with all her heart that she could truly hold him. 'I didn't believe- I couldn't believe.'_

'_You need not apologise Nyota.' She heard him reply. 'I can understand your reactions, it was logical for you to disbelieve your own mind, as the grieving process can greatly affect the way people perceive the world around them.'_

_She nodded into his shirt. 'What's happened to you Spock? Where are you? I know you said a week ago you didn't know where you were, but, have you found anything out?' She pulled back and looked up at him. His face was stoic as usual, but his eyes had narrowed ever so slightly, his jaw tightened._

'_I have been fighting the forced sleep that an outward enemy has been attempting to coerce me into- I have…not always been successful. In my waking moments, I have been attempting to regain control of the ships security, so that I can release myself from my quarters- which remain locked. It seems that the system is infected with a virus that can be easily overridden by Starfleet, however as I have been placed in my quarters, and do not have the right codes- I cannot attempt to fix it for myself.'_

_Uhura gripped his arm tightly, sensing his frustration at how he could only sit and do nothing. 'Don't worry Spock, we know who the enemy is now. We're attempting a rescue mission so that we can get you all back. You're being held hostage, you see, so that this gang can get what they want, I don't know what that is- probably money.' Uhura snarled the last part, disgusted with the rogues, and seriously wanting to get her hands on them- make them feel her wrath._

'_Nyota, please inform me on the entire situation. It could be used to my advantage.'_

_Uhura took a deep breath, knowing she'd have to start from the very beginning, she looked at Spock- one of the ghosts that had haunted her for months- afraid to bring those emotions back to the surface. She knew that he could feel her fear also, as he was holding her more tightly and she could feel waves of comfort coming from him. Uhura could trust Spock, she had known this since the day she had met him as a young Cadet, and from that trust- she drew her strength._

***

'_You must go to her- hurry- she will need help, I will gather others to come to your aid, but for now, you must go!'_ Arduinna stood up, compelling Kirk to leap up also. He was scared, very scared, and angry beyond everything. He'd just found out his friends were alive, now some bastard wanted to take one of his newest, but one of his closest, friends away from him?! _NO FUCKING WAY!_

'But what about Starfleet, me being a suspect? I can't just-'

'_Do not worry, they were going to let you go anyway, going to reinstate you- I could see it. Although I must admit I…helped the process along. I could sense your innocence, your need to be Captain again, your love for your friends and crew. Kolvon may have her under control before long, she needs somebody whom she recognises- it might be more likely to break his hold that way, and you have come across us in battle before, you are at an advantage, compared to others. Now go.'_

Kirk nodded seriously and ran toward the exit but stopped short, turning around he smiled his biggest, truest smile at Arduinna and replied 'Thanks, I owe you one!'

And then he was gone. Running, running for his life, and the lives of his friends _Please, Uhura, please be ok._

***

_She had moved to sit in his lap as she told her story, and he had listened, holding her- she could feel his regret, his sadness at her grief, his anger at the Yulvokians. At that moment, she cared for none of it, they were worries to be dealt with later- tomorrow- when she got on that ship, when she was Lieutenant Uhura. _

_Right now, she was Nyota._

'_I must admit I am…concerned, for your welfare. By your description, these Yulvokians are a strong adversary- not easily defeated.'_

_She tapped his nose. 'Any girl who's lived in a city for a long amount of time knows how to kick ass if need be. I'll be fine, we'll be fine- more then fine. Got it?'_

_The corners of his lips twitched into his signature smile, she beamed 'Understood.'_

'_Good, I'm glad that's settled.' Then she laughed._

'_Is something amusing, Nyota?'_

'_Nothing, I just thought of something.' When he raised his eyebrow (and consequently made her heart bounce around like a hyperactive child) she elaborated 'Well it's just that, well I'm the one coming to rescue all of you.'_

'_Indeed?' His eyebrow raised further._

'_And well it's…it's sort-of like you're all damsels in distress!' She buried herself into his shoulder and shook with laugher- the thought of McCoy as Rapunzel was a killer._

_When she had calmed down Spock gazed at her and- though she could feel his own amusement- he retorted with 'Nyota, please refrain from referring to me as a damsel.'_

'_What about the others? Can I call them damsels and not you?' She raised her eyebrow back at his, wagging her finger from side to side in a teasing manner. 'Because that's not very fair Mr Spock.'_

_The faintest whisper of a sigh escaped his lips 'Fine, if you wish to refer to us as damsels- you may.'_

_And Nyota was laughing once more, in triumph as well as in delight. 'Hold on damsels, you're knight in shining armour is coming.' She kissed him before he could react to the statement, wrapping her hands around his neck, she felt a sense of longing once more. She sighed, relaxing into the kiss…_

_But someone else was calling her name, over the rocks and valleys- someone far away, who wanted her to come to them. She pulled away from Spock._

'_Did you hear something?' Surely he would have heard it. _

_Spock shook his head in denial. Uhura frowned, glancing around the surrounding area. This was not her mind, it was Spock's, why would anyone be calling her?_

_Suddenly she felt odd, dazed, slightly disorientated. It was much like the feeling of alcohol slowly impairing your motor skills, the effects of vodka going straight to your head. She shook her head, her eyes seemed unfocused- and someone else was still calling to her._

'_Nyota?' She was sitting on his lap, and yet Spock seemed far away 'are you alright?'_

What's happening to me?_ 'I- I…don't know. I'm kind of dizzy. I think someone's calling me.'_

_She looked back at Spock, who's eyes were widened, why was that? Why was he worried? Nothing bad was happening was it? Deep, deep down she felt a sense of fear, but it was being blanketed by an eerie calm- so the fear was probably nothing._

'_I have to go Spock, I have to wake up.' She stood up stumbling, he followed, catching her._

'_Nyota, listen to me, something is wrong. Look at me.' He spun her around to face him, but she flicked him off with his arm, flapping it in dismissal._

'_It's fiiiine, everything is fiiine, I just feel like I have to wake up now is all! Ha! I feel funny.' She stumbled once more, the voice compelling her, driving her away from Spock's mind. Everything was blurry. She could hear Spock calling her again, she tripped and fell…_

She opened her eyes wide and gasped, suddenly awake, the fear crashing back down on her as the blanket of artificial, forced calm was gone. What was that? What had invaded her mind and made her wake up like that? Her heart beat wildly, she could feel fear and desperation- Spock's emotions, as well as her own, and began shivering uncontrollably.

Standing up shakily, her legs feeling like jelly, she glanced around her apartment. The front door was wide open.

Suddenly and pair of three fingered, bony hands, sneaked around her waist, settling on her hips firmly, Uhura froze.

'_Hello there Lieutenant.' _A voice grated against her mind- and she screamed in pain but she found she couldn't move. The door slammed shut.

There was no escape.

**EL DUN DUN DUUUUUUN, EL GASPO! EL Please review-o (it's funny cause I actually speak Spanish) I shall give you all star trek plush toys to cuddle for a day (wouldn't it be great if there was a Spock Plushie?!?!) Anyway please review!!! Thank you for reading my story!!!**


	9. Poltergeist

**I'm so so so so sorry about this chapter, it's taken so long because I've had so little time to write! Firstly, amazingly maddening writers block, and secondly- I've just found out my A Level results, which I passed, so I got accepted in to university (^_^) So I've had to do a lot of planning around that. Once again, I deeply apologize and I hope you'll continue reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek, this is just me, messing around with the characters for funsies and for my ever faithful readers and reviewers, who continue to be amazing and ever so inspirational and supportive *blush***

Chapter Eight- Poltergeist.

Uhura wanted to shiver- but she couldn't move an inch. She wanted to scream but found her voice was not working. She could do nothing but feel, and what she felt was fear- trickling slowly down her body as if someone had poured ice water under her clothes. Now that the connection between her and Spock was open once more, she could feel his emotions- albeit distantly- distress, concern, confusion, frustration. He was completely unaware of what was happening, but also in the knowledge that she was in danger.

And the pair of them were terrified because of it.

She recognised the Yulvokian's voice as the one from early- recognised the significance of his betrayal. His three fingered bony hands that were on her in a way that was evoking more fear. Should she have been able to move- she would have been furious enough to break everyone bone in his creepy fingers.

'_Come on then, lets see that pretty face.' _The Yulvokian replied, another shuddering, grating pain echoed in her mind at his words. If she could have gritted her teeth in anger she would have. Suddenly she felt the hold he had over her slip and she span around, arms raised, fists clenched, ready to fight. In a flash he had her arm clutched in his hand so tightly, bruises were sure to form, and she once again could not move.

'_ah-ah, temper, temper. Now, what do you have to say for yourself.' _She tried her best to ignore the pain, as Uhura realised she could use her voice once more and was using it to her best advantage.

'I don't care what you want. Get out of my house.' She growled under her breath. Any male facing such a tone would have cowered in fear. But Kolvon was not an ordinary man, he was a Yulvokian Rogue, he was full of malice, of greed, power hungry in every sense and every scenario.

'_That's no way to treat your guests.'_

'You forced your way into my home.'

'_On the contrary you invited me in when you left yourself so defenceless.'_

'Get out.'

'_I don't want to, and I always get what I want.'_

'You'll never get it, but what do you want?'

His hand slid up her arm, fingers light but cruel- like a dying butterflies touch, remaining in control of her body, and he cupped her cheek. Her insides felt like ice as she watched him look at her body. He had no right, it made her feel sick- and he replied with a horrifying simplicity _'You.'_

Her heart stopped, and suddenly she was forced back onto the sofa with a cry, but he'd made one mistake in doubting Uhura's abilities, she caught herself on her heel, span on it and lifted her leg in one swift motion. It slammed against Kolvon's neck and sent him hurtling across the room. Her heart beat returned racing, as Uhura dove for underneath the sofa, attempting to pull out the hidden phaser from its depths. But Kolvon was on her before she had the chance, pulling her up by her hair- she shrieked in pain as he threw her to one side and she crashed into her glass coffee table- which shattered, shards of glass piercing her arms and face and back.

Dazed, and before she could register what was happening, he was on top of her, pinning her shoulders to the floor, she was frozen one more- staring into his deadly, terrifyingly beautiful eyes- and tried to not to think of what he could do, that she may very well be about to die.

But she was petrified.

'_There is no beauty quite like yours on my home planet, and I always seek out the best for myself. You will not die here today, I will take you hostage, to show Starfleet that they cannot hinder our resolve, they cannot defeat us. I will transport us to the Enterprise, after we have gained our ransom we shall let the others go, but you shall remain with me. You _will _be mine. You are my proof of this triumph.'_

He loosened her tongue. Her voice wavered in betrayal against her bravado as she replied 'I am nobodies trophy, and you- may _not_ have me.'

He smiled slightly, superiorly and forced his mouth upon hers. Her insides screamed, her mind screamed, she felt Spock's burst of pure, unadulterated panic so much stronger for being part Vulcan- it added to her own, she felt that she may die from the fear, the anger, the uncertainty.

'_Dearest, I already do have you.' _

***

Arduinna pulled back her hood and stared at the sky, saying a silent prayer to her guardian spirits for luck against the evil of her species, and hoping that they could hear her from so far away.

_Of course, they always hear us, whether they act on our prayers is as uncertain as the inconstant moons._

The Starfleet mission was to infiltrate the main ship first, beam troops on board the Yulvokian's ship where a battle would take place and then, as Lieutenant Uhura and now, _thanks to my…shall we say, persuasion_ the soon to be reinstated Captain- Kirk, and a number of other Starfleet soldiers of higher rank snuck onto the Enterprise, which had been successfully located by Arduinna, thanks to the fact that all Yulvokian's having a slight telepathic connection.

_But should Kirk fail in aiding Lieutenant Uhura against Kolvon…_ Arduinna shook her head, she would not think of the worst case scenario, now was to the time for present action- not fretting on the future. She must act in the here and now, and form reactions based on current events.

'We're ready.' Admiral Pike was behind her in a rush, followed by ten other Starfleet personnel and she nodded in response.

'_We must hurry'_ She told them _'I can feel the strength of Kolvon's malice- there may not be much time.'_

***

Kirk was breathless but he didn't care, near blinded by sweat but disregarded it, his muscles were cramping- stabbing at his sides, he'd nearly been run over several times but none of that mattered as raced towards the apartment, wishing with all his might that he wasn't to late.

_Oh God Uhura please be alright, don't make me break my promise, I can help you- just hold on please!_

With every step, images filled his mind of Uhura, of the time they'd spent together and everything she'd done for him, more than his mother- more than any member of his family ever could, and it suddenly came to him that he had slowly come to regard her as more than part of the Enterprise family, but of his own actual family. The sibling he'd always wish he'd had as a child growing up in the lonely flatlands of Iowa, not a soul around to play with.

He'd found someone he could argue with, who would threaten to report bad behaviour to his mother, who gave him a home and looked out for him but never stopped being annoyed by him, who berated him about his sexual escapades and told him he'd catch something if he hadn't already and that he should either seek a doctor or settle down. Someone who he could brag to about his amazing qualities (even more so than he did with others), and tease until he was blue in the face from fighting laughter, who he look after and guard from being hurt by men (he'd have to re-assess his First Officer and Lieutenants relationship in light of this new perspective, but he was sure Spock would pass the bar, no matter how high the standard was).

In her, he'd found a sister.

And damn it he wouldn't lose her.

Finally, without warning, he raced into their apartment, throwing himself against her door and coming face to face with the Yulvokian, on top of Uhura, kissing her roughly- Uhura powerless to stop it.

***

'GET YOUR BONY HANDS OFF OF HER YOU THREE FINGERED BASTARD!' Came and enraged voice from somewhere in the distance, there was a loud blast, a heavy thud, a cry that shattered her skull and suddenly she felt the weight on her lift. She realised she could move, and scrambled to her feet. On the opposite side of the wall, Kolvon lay in a crumpled heap.

Relief washed through her and she trembled- still in shock.

'Uhura?' She turned around, and came face to face with Kirk and it all became clear, he had saved her, he had kept his promise with a fierce and moving resolve. Kirk scratched his hair, seemingly not knowing what do 'Oh jeez, you're bleeding all over your arms, are you really hurt…did he…?'

She shook her head, eyes wide, lips pressed firmly together. Kirk exhaled.

'Good, ok, err… where's the first aid box? We should tend to those cuts.'

'They're umm…' Uhura swallowed, 'It's in the bathroom cabinet, the top shelf. Don't worry, I'll get it.'

'You sure?'

'Of course, I can handle it, it's only a few cuts after all, nothing to fuss over.'

'Right, you're right. I'll contact Starfleet.'

The mention of Starfleet triggered her out of her shock and it all came back to her, Spock, the hostage situation, the rescue mission, Kirk being a suspect. But he had got out, he had overcome everything to help her, and so she decided right then that his efforts would not be in vain and she would not crumble because of something that could have happened but didn't. She was still a survivor, and she would continue her resolve- she would be hindered by no-one and nobody would attempt to claim her in that possessive manner ever again. Nothing bad had happened to her, it could have done but she would not dwell on what could have happened.

The shallow wounds of her arms would recover quickly, as would she.

Before she went to tend to said cuts, she rushed over to Kirk and threw her arms around him in a loving sisterly embrace.

'I don't believe you had anything to do with the hostage situation for one second, not for _one second_.' She said fiercely, she felt his shock but regardless, he still wrapped his arms around her.

'Thanks Uhura.' He replied, she shook her head, smiling sadly.

'No, Thank you so much, for everything... Jim.'

He pulled back in shock, staring at her for a few seconds and she wiped a teary eye. Suddenly he burst into a genuine, uninhibited grin. 'Hey, you called me by my name!'

'Well done Einstein.' She replied dryly.

'Can I call you Nyota now?'

'Only if you have a death wish.' She laughed and pushed his shoulder. He frowned.

'Oh come on, no fair! I made you pancakes! How many more pancakes do you want before I can call you that?'

She walked into the bathroom, tilting her head so he could hear her response 'You'll have to keep making them to find out…_Jim_.'

'CUT THAT OUT!'

In the midst of their banter, neither of them were aware of the fact that Kolvon was beginning to stir.

***

Uhura was splashing cold water on her face when she felt Spock's emotions coming back to her as the shock of the situation eased, he was still deeply worried about her, not knowing what was happening must be as torturous as actually enduring the situation- so she attempted to send him waves of reassurance, of love and calmness, _Don't worry Spock I'm alright- you're night in shining armour is still standing, still ready to fight for you. I'm coming._ She only hoped he could feel those emotions despite how far away they were from each other. For now.

When Uhura felt his waves of intense relief and love coming from Spock, her heart leapt. Everything was going to be ok. Better than ok.

And then she walked out, coming face to face with Kolvon, who had his arm trapped around Kirk's head, using her friends own phaser against him- as the Yulvokian pressed it to his skull. Panic once again burst in Uhura's chest like pus from an infected wound.

'W…What are you doing? Let him go!' Immediately she made a grab for her phaser.

'_Tut, tut, such forceful demands shall never be met.' _Kolvon mocked, as the two cringed, grinning wickedly. _'After all, my species are all for equal and fair trading, so- one hostage, one person set free. I will exchange him, for you.'_

'No way Uhura, don't you dare!'

'Starfleet doesn't negotiate with enemies, and you are no exception, now, let-him-go!' She thrust the phaser forward violently, threateningly.

Kolvon shook his head, his nose was bloody and broken, a gash across his forehead threw beads of blood everywhere. _'Very well, I attempt to be reasonable, but now I see- I must take you both, or perhaps I shall kill him? Either way, you'll be coming back to Enterprise with me, whether you like it or not.'_

Before Uhura could blink, Kolvon had moved in front of her, trapping her with his incredible speed, his hands gripping the back of her neck in a vice-like grip, rendering her immovable again, and once more she realised- there was no escape. Uncertainty filled her, fear filled her, as the sounds of many men reached her ears, slamming into the hallways, firing phasers, shouting out to them- it was all a daze as her apartment disappeared before her very eyes and she was falling, feeling like she was being beamed but a million times worse. The lightness, the illness, the fear- it felt like death itself was ripping her from her body.

There was a sudden harsh contact with a cold, hard, metal floor and Uhura knew no more.

***

'Damn it!' Admiral Pike threw his phaser and it skidded across the floor, feeling the might of his anger. 'Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!'

Arduinna watched the place where she had seen Kirk, Uhura and the Yulvokian who had betrayed her, Starfleet, and his entire race, as they had transported before them all. A sense of woe filled her and she could do nothing to help it. She had failed to reach them in time, been unable to help them. Her hands shook, she stared at the ground, trying to regain composer, but she could not help but feel that she had completely at utterly _failed_.

_And now, who knows what will become of them?_

**Reviews make Spock happy, even if he'd never show it! Darn Vulcan pride...but I hope you review despite that!**


	10. Ghost Ship

**I have never been so happy to get over a bout of writers block! My life's been so hectic, trying to buy all my stuff for uni, sorting out student finance (what a joke!), saying goodbye to all my friends, writing a new CV in the hopes that I can get a new job once I move to uni...yup a lot of things suck the creative energy from you. Besides, this story is slowly drawing to a close, it's got a few chapters left and so they are very very important and I want to take the time to get them just right- but can you say sequel? Heh heh heh!**

**Once again I'd like to thank you amazing reviewers whom, without, I would never have enough courage to post this story. You guys ROCK!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek, or it's characters, and I don't own Mr Darcy either (I thought I'd throw that in as I kind of this that Spock is secretly very Mr Darcy-ish...with pointy ears, HOT!!!! Lol XD)**

Chapter 9- Ghost Ship.

Kirk was screaming noiselessly, as he was transported by Kolvon to a place he knew not. Air rushed past his ears, pressure was mounting in his brain, his stomach and lungs were gurgling. The feeling was akin to the pressure of swimming to the bottom of the ocean and dropping out of an airplane simultaneously- it felt like he was about to die. He could feel Kolvon's grip on him loosening, he slipped away from the evil Yulvokian's grasp. Then, with a sudden, almost rib-cracking slam, his body met with solid ground and the wind was completely knocked out of him. He'd never felt so disorientated in his entire life- and, for Kirk, that was saying something.

'Ugh, God.' The sandy haired Captain groaned lying still for a few moments; face down, before reaching up with both arms and slowly pulling himself up. 'Son of a bitch.' His stomach turned and he moaned, a sweat breaking out on his forehead. Anger at the one that had caused him to feel this surged, making him shudder- when he got his hands on Kolvon...

He was interrupted from his violent thoughts when an inquisitive but stoic voice reached his ears. 'Captain?'

Was he dreaming again? He didn't move from his position on the floor.

'Captain Kirk?' The voice repeated itself.

His heart beat raced, he was hearing things, and surely- he was going mad? That was when he was turned around by a pair of hands to face the ceiling, his eyes widened; it was as if he had seen a ghost. For there- in the pale glow of a semi dark room, stood his half-Vulcan first mate, looking exactly the way he'd been the last time Kirk had seen him on the bridge of the Enterprise, not a single hair out of place. The only thing that gave him away was the slight bags under his eyes.

'Spock?' He blinked as he was pulled to his feet, the nausea subsiding after recovering from his initial shock. 'Spock? Is that really you?'

Spock's eyebrows creased a fraction, his head tilted to the side in confusion. 'Is my presence not confirmation enough, Captain?'

'Holy shit, Spock it _is_ you!' And with a burst of unabashed joy he threw his arms around the probably mortified half-Vulcan. 'You pointy eared bastard, you really are alive!' He pulled back from the embrace, laughing even harder when he noticed Spock's eyebrows had reached epic new heights. 'If you ever, ever, scare me like that again then it'll be your ass frozen Delta Vega buddy!'

After a pause and an awkward cough that escaped from Spock's thin lips, he replied 'duly noted captain, but may I ask how you came to be in my quarters, since I have been unable to escape?'

Kirk's eyes widened at his first officers words and he looked around the room. A white glass desk, a standard Starfleet-issue bed, beige wallpaper and on the bed, a teddy bear that Kirk guessed was obviously Uhura's. Yes- this was definitely Spock's room. _Spock's room...but that means..._

'My ship? Spock, am I really on my ship?' He asked his voice distant and trembling, awe and disbelief shaking his very core. He looked back at the other room's occupant; he needed to hear it, for someone else to say it- only with someone's confirmation could he truly believe he wasn't going crazy. 'Spock?'

'You are currently on the Enterprise, Captain, yes.' Spock bowed his head in affirmation but was cut off by Kirk's shriek of joy. He leapt up into the air, punching it with his fist in a victorious gesture. He was being called Captain again and was so happy he was about ready to burst. His ship was intact; his crew really was alive- it had to be some sort of miracle! Meanwhile, Spock was watching his display of fierce emotion with an inquisitive stare. 'Captain Kirk? May I ask once again, how it is that you came to be in my quarters?'

Kirk froze mid-happy dance, his face paling with the impact of remembering.

'Kolvon...' He mumbled- his eyes wide, his hands balled into fists and trembling.

'Kolvon?' Spock was about to question further when Kirk span around to face him, his eyes holding in them something which made Spock's chest clench tightly, he took a deep steadying breath- ready to dismiss such illogical fear.

Until Kirk said 'Spock, Uhura's in danger, we need to get out of here, _now_.'

***

'Ouch.' Uhura groaned her head swaying. Picking herself off the floor and stumbling a few steps, and blinking- her vision was hazy so she closed her eyes and calmed herself, breathing in and out to right herself, before snapping them open when she felt a warm trickle of blood running down the side of her face. Reaching up, she winced at the pain of a gash on the side of her forehead, it wasn't too deep though- so she wasn't overly concerned.

That's when she turned her apprehension towards her whereabouts, and her heart skipped a few beats. The main lights were off but the ghostly white glow of the computers on standby mode was enough to fill the room with enough illumination, casting eerie shadows around the place. It was like something out of a horror movie, for this room to be so unnaturally devoid of life, and Uhura was growing more uneasy by the moment. But through her fear, she allowed herself one moment of astounding, uninhibited delight when she realised that she had been transported to the bridge of the Enterprise. So it had all been true, they really were alive! Forgetting her situation, she went over to her station, fingers trailing softly over her beloved communications equipment and she choked out a dry sob, her breath wavering as tears of happiness welled in her eyes.

She then shook her head, and the tears, away. _Come on girl, now's not the time to get all emotional, your man needs you- your friends need you, you have to do something! _She thought readying herself for the impending battle that would be taking place. Sitting down at her station, she thought that maybe, just maybe, she could contact Starfleet. She knew the Yulvokian's had infected the system with a virus, but the Enterprise was composed of many different systems- and the Yulvokian's didn't seem to know that much about technology. Was it possible they had only infected the defence and security systems? Hoping against all hope, and trying to ignore the fear that snuck up on her at being on her own and not knowing Spock or Kirk or any of their enemies whereabouts, Uhura got to work.

After a few minutes connecting wires and tuning frequencies she had almost forgotten in grief, Uhura had to fight not to cry out in joy when she managed to get through to Starfleet Headquarters.

'Mayday, Mayday, this is Lieutenant Uhura of the U.S.S Enterprise, Captain James. T. Kirk and I have been kidnapped by the Yulvokian rogues as part of their hostage plan, their intentions seem violent- please send reinforcement's ASAP, I have regained control of communications systems but as for the others I-'

An all too horrific, and all too familiar, feeling of being frozen filled Uhura as an ice-like grip pierced her shoulders.

'_My, my, my, aren't we clever?'_ Kolvon's voice pierced her mind as he breathed against her ear.

***

'WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T GET OUT? OF COURSE YOU CAN GET OUT, YOU'RE SPOCK!!! YOU'RE A FREAKING SUPER GENIUS!'

'Captain, I assure you, I have tried everything within my power, but without your codes we cannot override the security systems.' Spock replied, outside a vision of calmness and reflectivity, inside a sandstorm of fear, anger, and frustration- his Nyota's safety was being threatened, and there was nothing he could do about it inside these now damned four walls. Kirk had enlightened him on the situation, and the thought of another beings hands on his beloved, let alone unwillingly, made the bile rise in Spock's throat. However now that she was so close, her emotions were coming to him more strongly, but they were so mixed he could scarcely make sense of them- and that was doing nothing to ease his concern for her wellbeing.

Kirk's face lit up in realisation and a slight 'Oh!' escaped his lips. He grinned his triumphant, cocky grin and went to the control panel in Spock' room. Entering the specific codes, he smiled when a chirpy beep responded for him to continue.

'Ok, I've done my part- it's all yours now Mr. Spock.'

***

'Let me go.' Uhura growled. 'Let me go _now_.'

'_Say please.'_ Kolvon cooed whilst Uhura winced. Suddenly an idea formulated in her head, if she could play along with his sick game, perhaps she could get out of this- and find a way to get everyone else to safety.

Sighing she gritted her teeth, and replied in a sickly sweet voice. 'Please? For me?'

He slowly slinked his arms away from her and her whole body relaxed itself, embracing the warmth that came when his touch left her. _'That's better, it's seems you've learned how to behave.'_ He replied, his laughter scratching her skull.

'Yes, I've... resigned myself to the fact that we can never win, I must be yours, whether I like it or not.' She forced out, her hands curling into fists. She tried to smile but found that was damned near impossible.

'_Trust me, my darling; you shall come to appreciate me. You may even grow to love me one day.'_

Uhura had never had such a strong urge to cringe and throw up simultaneously; she closed her eyes for a moment, _pretend it's Spock, pretend it's Spock._ Taking one more deep breath she regained composure.

'Only if you're very nice to me.' Uhura warned, spinning around in her chair to maintain eye contact with him, wagging her finger from side to side in a tantalising manner. She felt disgusted with herself- but as far she could tell, it was the only way. She could feel Spock's worry on her part, stronger than normal because of how close they were, and it was killing her. _So close, yet so far, I have to see him, I have to get to him- and what about Kirk? How is he? Is he safe?_

'_Oh I intend to be very, very nice.'_ Kolvon bent down and trailed butterfly kisses against her neck. Uhura gulped, feeling completely repulsed _its Spock, it's Spock's lips, it's his warm touch- not Kolvon's cold one_. Heart thumping in her throat, lungs devoid of oxygen, she slowly reached out an arm behind her, underneath her station, where a phaser was hidden, she gripped it tightly, waiting.

'Where is everyone else? My new Yulvokian companions I mean.' She asked trying to distract him, and also get as much information from him as she could in order to gain advantage.

'_Our fellows are in the engineering room-ten of them, monitoring the hostages' life support systems, and there are another five in the recreation room.'_

_Fifteen...that doesn't seem too bad._ Uhura thought hopefully, trying to ignore his wandering bony hands.

'Can you introduce me?' She asked feigning interest, and suppressing a shudder.

'_Later, there's something else I'd prefer to do right now.'_ Kolvon replied and Uhura shut her eyes when he bit her shoulder teasingly. Anger and hatred for this...this..._thing_ seethed within her so much so that she fully understood the expression 'blood boiling'. But she knew he was lowering his defences, she just had to wait.

'Yes- there's something I'd like to do also.' She replied her voice low.

'_Oh? And what could that be?'_ Kolvon replied flirtatiously licking the small bite-mark with an ice cold tongue. She felt his body relax, and the waiting was over. With a force she didn't know she had, she struck Kolvon's chest-bone with the ball of her fist. A bewildered expression overcame his features as he stumbled backwards- and that was all the time Uhura needed. Snapping the phaser out from its clasp, she pointed it towards Kolvon and, without seconds thought, fired.

The blast lit the entire room for a moment and Kolvon flew backwards silently, hitting the floor. Uhura marched up to him, looming over his wounded body. He was clutching his side, his face contorted in pain as silver blood flowed from his side. He met her eyes, hers were strong and fierce, his bemused and fearful.

'You really want to know what I what to do?' Uhura hissed her voice as cold as his touch made her feel. 'I want to bring you, your leader, and your whole pathetic gang down- and trust me; I'm the one that gets what she wants. You and you're little friends? You should all be very, very worried right now. You've crossed the wrong woman and picked on the wrong crew- and believe me, you're going to pay!'

And with that Uhura marched out of the room, head held high, a new strength, a new hope, born within her- leaving Kolvon to bleed on the floor.

She knew she couldn't take all those Yulvokian's down without help, but also knew the security systems were on lockdown, so she couldn't exactly free Spock from his room. _And who knows if he's even conscious? He said he kept drifting in an out of induced sleep..._ Uhura thought rationally.

So she did what she thought was wisest- go in search of her Captain. But where on Earth could he be? She'd remembered the blur of sandy blonde hair and his black jeans as he'd slipped from Kolvon's grasp when they were being transported. Maybe he hadn't gotten that far? She decided she'd check the hallways near the bridge, and that included the observation deck a few hallways down, if not- his quarters. If that failed, she'd have to come up with something else, but she tried not to think of the plan failing, and instead focused on putting it in to action.

Pointing her phaser upwards, and thanking the low lighting for giving her extra camouflage, Uhura slinked down the hallways, searching for a glimpse of sandy-blonde hair.

***

Freedom.

Spock relished in the word, and the sensation of escaping his quarters for the first time in who knows how long, when the beautiful whooshing sound of the door finally giving way reached his ears. He allowed himself to revel in it for approximately five point three seconds, before his professional side overcame him.

'Captain may I suggest we make finding Lieutenant Uhura our first main priority?' He asked levelly, trying to suppress all emotions- he needed his logic right now more than anything, he needed to think levelly- in order to help ensure Nyota's safety.

Kirk spun his head around to look at Spock, grinning but at the same time- a serious look in his eyes. The blend of emotion intrigued Spock, but he did not dwell on it.

'As usual Spock, you always know the best course of action! Right let's get going, you grab some of the phasers you got lying around the room, our get a scope on the surroundings, check if the coast is clear.' He nodded, clapping Spock on the shoulder and slowly peering out. 'Holy shit, it's creepy looking out there, the emergency lights are on- it's all...spooky!'

Spock, returning with spare phasers, raised an eyebrow at his Captain's comment. Noticing the aforementioned eyebrow raise Kirk responded with a witty 'Oh shut up', snatching one of the phasers from Spock's grasp. 'Ok Mr. Spock, if you're so smart- why don't you just propose to me the whereabouts of your girlfriend eh? This is a big ship in case you hadn't noticed and-'

Their exchange was interrupted when the sound of a phaser going of repeatedly echoed throughout the hallways, and the sound of a woman's cry pierced the air. Both Kirk and Spock both stood rigid.

'Was that...?' Kirk trailed off in shock.

Spock, focused all his energy of the source of the noise replied 'The observation deck. Now.'

***

The blood-red glow of a nearby nebula filled the observation deck with an unnatural war-like light.

Kolvon had been wrong, _that fucking bastard!_ Uhura cursed as she crouched behind the concrete blocks that were considered seats by Starfleet standards. The five other Yulvokian's were not, in fact in the recreation room- well- two might have been, as there were three congregated here and they'd noticed her before she had a chance to hide, so she'd been forced to fight. They were so fast though, that she'd only been able to take down one so far.

Crawling towards the edge of the her hiding place, she peered around to see the whereabouts of the other two Yulvokian's she could see one hiding in the corner, obviously believing to be hidden and, breath tingling with fear and determination, she aimed- and fired. Almost cheering when she hit the target and he crumpled to the floor, either passed out or dead- she found she didn't care. _Ok that's two out of three but where's the other-_

Her whole body was thrown back against the glass and she felt the wind get knocked out of her as she was kneed in the stomach, her phaser knocked out of her hand. She coughed, and blood came out.

The Yulvokian grabbed her neck and pulled her to an upright position and tightened his grip. With a panic she could not control Uhura realised- he was choking her to death. Her throat made awful rasping noise; her body was flailing wildly in a futile attempt to hurt him, to get him to release her- but only succeeding in him clutching her throat tighter. Spots burst in front of her eyes and her brain felt as if it were about to explode _no I can't die, I can't die!_

The hand was snatched away from her neck and Uhura crashed to the floor in a crumpled heap. She felt two hands on her back and a familiar voice 'Uhura, Uhura! Speak to me! Are you alright? Come on say something! Anything!'

Sitting upright and letting the glorious oxygen fill her lungs, she rubbed her throat, blinking hard. 'I'm...fine...Kirk. Don't worry.' She smiled back up at him.

'Jeez, are all my crew intent on scaring the shit out of me or something?' He laughed scratching his head sheepishly, Uhura elbowed him half-heartedly. 'Where's that creep Kolvon?'

'I think I killed him, he seemed in a pretty bad way- I just kind of left him, and he's on the bridge. I don't really care, he's Starfleet's problem now. Anyway, thanks for helping me out Kirk.'

'Urh...I'd say you're welcome but, for once, the heroics didn't come from me!' Kirk grinned coyly, wiping some blood from his mouth as he did so. Uhura sighed.

'What are you talking about?' She asked, Kirk bobbed his head forwards, signifying for her to look over her shoulder, as he pulled her to her feet. She followed his gaze.

Tears immediately sprung to her eyes when she saw him, the man whom she'd grieved for so intensely for all those months, the man whom she loved with all her heart, the man who was the other half of her soul. He was there, he was real, he was alive- and he was staring right back at her.

'Spock.' She whispered.

**Ok I'm sorry, that's just a plain evil cliffhanger right? Sorry, I thought it would drag if I carried on the chapter! I offer McCoy Plushies that, when you squeeze them, say "damn it Jim, I'm a doctor, not a plushie!!" to all who review (man that would be so funny!!!!) Please review!!! Until the next time! Xx**


	11. Resurrection

**First of all I'd like to apologise because this update is so frigging late, but moving out and adjusting to a new life at university miles from home is a little distracting (I miss my kitties!...ok ignore that) Plus my internet was down for about a week an a half because of moving and having to get register internet onto the university system. Then when I FINALLY could update- the document manager wasn't working, seriously what was up with that?! Oh and now I have a cold too, apparently everyone gets colds when they go to uni- it's called "Freshers Flu"...frigging SUCKS. Sorry I'm ranting but I just wanted to explain why this was coming so late. Hope you can forgive.**

**Anyway I won't delay any longer, here it is, my beloved readers/reviewers- the moment you've all been waiting for!**

**Disclaimer: It is illogical of you to believe that I could own this awesome series. Nuff said. :P Spock OWNES!**

Chapter 10- Resurrection.

It seemed like an eternity in which the lovers stared at each other in the glow of the observation deck. Uhura felt her whole body shut down, her throat closed, her heart, lungs and stomach clenched; a shiver ran up her back. The ship faded away, the stars blacked out; the universe around them disappeared and all Uhura knew was his burning, and very human, eyes staring back at her own. The moment was so tense, so unreal, that she didn't know how to react. The situation felt too much, too intimidating for her and far too intense for her to handle. After spending so much time believing he was dead, even mind melding did not prepare her for the sudden slap of seeing him in the flesh, real and alive. The explosion of emotions inside her was so strong she couldn't make sense of them, couldn't bring just one of them to the forefront of her mind.

Her lip trembled.

But those eyes of his kept burning into her, his dark, amazing eyes, with the shine in them that gave away (to her at least) just how deep his still waters ran. The longer she looked at them, the more she felt the months she had spent without him fade away, the last time she saw him came into her mind, the last kiss, the last lingering touch, the last time they made love, the last time he had made her laugh- her memories were playing as if on rewind and suddenly, she found herself feeling like they were right at the beginning.

***

'_Gaila-' First Year Cadet Uhura chided softly, but with a serious underlying tone, to her frivolous Orion roommate 'you can't spend the whole lecture flirting with some random guy you just met, what if you miss something important?'_

'_Ny- chill ok? Sheesh, it's the first lecture of the school year, we're newbies! He'll probably be explaining the course outline, and other stuff we don't really have to pay attention to because it's all in our student pack- just like all the other lecturers. Haven't you ever heard the expression, "The first ones a freebie"?' She replied with a mischievous wink, waving flirtatiously at her latest interest._

'_If that so-called saying has dirty subtext, I really don't want to know.' Uhura replied both teasingly and exasperatedly, as she tried to balance her massive textbooks more comfortably. She dropped one on her foot and cursed loudly._

'_Why did you insist on bringing all those things today? We're obviously not going to need them!' Gaila admonished picking up the offending object and handing it back to the injured Uhura._

'_I wanted to be prepared, and don't be so sure. According to the schedule, we have some guy named Professor Spock who, it turns out, is apparently one of the strictest teachers at the academy. He's a Vulcan, and they're notorious for being by the book, plus some second-years gave me a tip that Vulcan's have really sensitive hearing, so you've got a good chance of getting caught- even if your whispering- and if you're caught by a strict professor, you're going to be screwed.'_

'_That's what I'm hoping.' Gaila grinned wickedly. Uhura felt heat rise to her face, not yet used to Gaila's vicarious ways._

'_Oh that is SO not what I meant!'_

'_Yes it was, admit it, you may act all anti-boy, but just you wait- one of these days someone will grab your attention and your inner goddess will be released and a dirty mind will follow.' At this point Uhura groaned and hid her face behind her text books. 'You've got a strong passion Ny, I'm an Orion- trust me, we can sense these things. There's a fire inside of you, and when you find someone that will unleash it you-'_

'_Please stop you sound like one of those advertisements for women's razors.' Uhura's part muffled response came from her hiding place behind the textbooks. At this point the bell rang and the students stopped mingling at the front of the class and made their way to their seats. Uhura once again, managed to drop her textbooks to the floor._

'_I'll save you a seat or all the good ones will be taken!' Gaila called out to her as she was pushed toward the desks by the crowd._

'_Ok! Thanks!' Uhura called back but doubted Gaila had heard her. Feeling like quite the loser, she reached down and began picking up, what were coming to be known as the hated textbooks, and stood up. As she did so, she came face to face with what was clearly her new Vulcan professor. She had to fight not to gasp._

_Their eyes were locked on each other for a few brief seconds, but those few seconds were the most exciting, shockingly lustful and most powerfully thrilling moments of her life thus far. Her brain and body were at a standstill. It was like the time she had been at the beach and a she hadn't realised a wave about twice her height was coming at her until it had slammed into her painfully, taking all the air out of her lungs, feeling like she was drowning. Only now, instead of water, it was just an overwhelming and instant attraction. Her lips were parted slightly, her eyes were wide and one of her books was once again slipping from her grasp._

_Before it hit the floor he had managed to catch it due to his insanely fast reflexes and gestured to hand it to her. Uhura, who had still been staring at him (she would recall with mortification for quite some time after this first meeting) like some slack-jawed moron, blinked in a stupefied and slightly dazed manner. 'Oh... thank you. Sir.' She remembered formalities just in time as she made to take the damned item from him._

_Their hands brushed._

_Uhura couldn't fight it this time, a small gasp escaped her lips as an electricity bolt shot directly through her body. He didn't look moved in the slightest. But his eyes held some kind of a gleam to them, there was something in them, they seemed very human to her- then she remembered, from word-of-mouth, that he had a human mother. Those eyes were entirely at odds with the rest of him._

'_You are welcome Cadet; now please take a seat so we may begin the class.' His voice made her want to melt into a pile of goo- that was weird- she'd never felt the need to become goo-like before. It felt good though. Very...very...good._

'_Oh, right, of course.' She replied hazily- as if waking from a dream, his eyebrow rose (and she watched it, fascinated) whilst he observed the intriguing human female before him._

_Suddenly his words registered and embarrassment, and a need to run fast and run far from these new and scary feelings, hit her. Heat rose to her face and she nodded, turning on her heel and practically sprinting to the back of the class, head down, ponytail swishing frantically from side to side and sat down next to Gaila, fighting the urge to hide under their table and bury her head in her hands. _What the hell was that?!_ She thought completely and utterly freaked out._ Well at least he didn't hear me gasp like some pathetic schoolgirl with a crush. Oh...wait...VULCAN HEARING! OH SHI-

'_Hee hee hee.' She heard Gaila giggle gleefully as Professor Spock introduced himself by writing his name on the board, snapping Uhura out of her thoughts. She turned to Gaila, eyeing her suspiciously and thought about asking her what was so funny, but then she remembered how Spock could probably hear every word and already his first impression of her was that of a dithering idiot- and an idiot she was certainly not- she didn't want to add rude and disrespectful to her superiors to the list, not if she wanted to even have a chance of working on the Enterprise. She bristled. No, she would prove to him that she was the smartest and most hardworking student he would ever have the fortune to teach. And he was a Vulcan for goodness sake! There was no way he would ever... for someone like her. Those feelings she had experienced were obviously shallow, and so sudden, based off his very good looking appearance and nothing more. Like the girls who fawn over posters of male models in their underwear, it was nothing but lust. _

_She decided right then and there that she would not let it get in the way of her studies; she would not continue to think about her teacher in such ways (not to mention it was against one of the oldest rules in the book of schooling). That little moment was one to be forgotten, and forgotten it would be. She would continue as normal._

_That was her plan and she was sticking to it._

'_Hee hee hee.' Gaila chucked again._

'WHAT? What is so funny Gaila?'_ Uhura typed furiously onto her PADD and sent the message to Gaila. In a matter of seconds Uhura got a response._

'Oh nothing, just that you're a pot.'

_Uhura frowned. _'A pot?'_ She messaged back._

'A pot. You know, like the expression "pot calling the kettle black"? Here you are wagging your finger at me about merely _flirting_ in class, when you're just about ready to jump the professor's bones right here and now! Haha! And don't even try to deny it, you reek of pheromones. Congratulations girl! I knew you had it in you! Go get 'em! Rawr! Xx'

_Uhura genuinely thought she may have an aneurysm by the time class had finished. But she chose to ignore her friend. She would not _get_ anyone, and they most certainly would not get her. Especially not a freaking teacher!_

_That, at least, was the plan._

***

There were so many words, so many emotions; so many memories rattling around in Uhura's mind that she just couldn't bring up anything to say. Things like _'It's you' _or _'I can't believe it!_' sounded contrived, and something out of a third-rate romance novel, or one of those old animated fairytale musicals. But Uhura wasn't in a third-rate romance novel nor was she fortunate enough to be in a Disney movie- where talking animals would solve all her problems, and so she just couldn't seem to find the right words. And for a xenolinguist- that was saying something.

But then again, she didn't think the situation needed any voice to it. After all, Spock was saying nothing, and Kirk had wandered off to the other side of the observation deck to find a medical kit or some such. There was nothing but silence. Spock was just watching her, taking her in, with his Vulcan control over his actions, but his eyes- _oh those eyes!_- they were different, they had always been different. And right now, they were saying in them all that need to be said.

_I am here, I am yours, come to me._

Her hands began to shake and tears began to silently cascade down her smooth cheeks as she complied.

She ran to him, just as he began to hurry towards her and they met in the middle, her leaping into his arms and gasping with the shock of feeling his incredible warmth as he picked her up and wrapped his arms around her.

'Nyota.' His voice was barely above a whisper as he soothed her, stroking her hair with one hand and holding her up with the other. She buried deeper into his shoulder, and as his warmth surrounded her, she felt his love surge through her being, and she smiled to reflect this.

She pulled back, glancing at his face as he put her down, still holding onto her tightly, and brushed her tears away. She closed her eyes for just one moment, if only to revel in the feeling of his touch. She hummed in contentment, sighing, and leaned towards his palm further. When she opened her eyes she saw him watching her curiously, and she couldn't help but laugh out loud. 'I love you.' She chuckled warmly, trying not to think of the past.

He leaned down and pulled her even more towards him, so that there was not even a sliver of light between them, and nuzzled into her neck.

'I love you also... k'diwa.' He replied as he kissed her neck. She gasped once again; her heart did cartwheels, for it was so rare for him to express his love in such a frank and open manner, given his upbringing. When he said he loved her, it was entirely serious, and he meant it with ever fibre in him, he really _meant_ it.

She nudged his head gently away from her neck and looked once again into his eyes, hoping that he could feel through their bond, just how much she loved him back. Right then and there she felt lucky, so lucky. For even though she had loved and lost, she had gained so much, learned so much- and even enduring those lonely desperate nights without him- she would not have changed a second of it. She would never regret falling in love, or being in love. Never. And if that hadn't made her lucky enough they now had what so many others didn't, they had a second chance, a new take on life and by god she was not going to waste a single solitary second of it. She was truly blessed, and she would not forget that fact.

She reached up and brushed her fingers gently through his hair and then reached up to him, needed him to kiss her, wanting to kiss him. And boy did they kiss.

Loving, passionate, lustful, longing- everything and anything conveyed in such a simple action. Uhura reached for his hand at the same time, and held it tightly, massaging it in a Vulcan version of a kiss, whilst their lips were pressed against each other's and thriving in the comfort of having each other once again. He assured of her safety after questioning and fearing for her. Now he had found her nobody was going to lay one hand on her, nobody would dare hurt her. When he had seen that Yulvokian attacking her, trying to kill his beloved Nyota- a primal instinct had risen in him, one he assumed had been embedded in his DNA from the way Vulcan's used to assert themselves, but also purely for the fact that he loved Nyota and felt that one of his first priorities was not to himself, but to her. Her reassured of his presence, and safe in the knowledge that they would never let each other go again, not without one hell of a fight- they were the protectors of each other's hearts, bodies and souls and would continue to be so until the end, but she didn't want to think of the end, if there even was one.

Their kiss was like breathing life back into each other's lungs and she didn't want to let go, she wanted to keep kissing him, wanted to keep his warm body pressed up against her- but she knew she couldn't. There was a fight going on, one that they couldn't win if they were too wrapped up in embraces and emotions. No, right now they needed to be soldiers. With a feeling of slight sadness she pulled back from their emotional, passion-filled kiss and sighed, smiling at him as he did his version of a smile back to her. She stroked his cheek, his hands had entwined in her hair. She laid her head on his chest, and rested her hand on his middle, feeling his heartbeat, it was reassuring. She looked back up at him and he knew what she was thinking and nodded, straightening himself up, becoming Commander Spock once more, as she became Lieutenant Uhura.

Taking a deep breath, Uhura stepped out of his embrace and turned to face Captain Kirk, who was cursing at the lack of medical equipment. Uhura cleared her throat and he stood up and turned around, smiling at the two for a split second before frowning once more.

'What's wrong?' Uhura asked between glances back at Spock, she wanted to hold his hand, well to be honest she wanted to do a lot more than that, but she was working. Good things came to those who wait. Kirk looked up his brow furrowed.

'I'm just trying to figure out a plan to rescue all my crew and bring down the Yulvokian's at the same time as tending to these damn injuries. Ouch!' He cried as he aggravated one of his injuries.

'Well I got transported to the bridge with Kolvon, and I called for help from Starfleet and sent them out coordinates, they should be here soon- surprisingly we're not too far from Earth.'

'Probably for a quicker trade-off...damn Yulvokian's.' Kirk grumbled. 'But good one Lieutenant, thanks. Do you know anything else?'

'Well there are only twelve Yulvokian's left on the ship that are alive and/or capable or fighting. They're not even guarding the rooms. Should we try and wake the crew from their induced sleep?'

'That would be potentially problematic, as I believe they were using psychic methods in order to induce sleep.' Spock replied thoughtfully. His voice made Uhura shiver, but in a good way. _Damn it focus!_ She thought feeling like a Cadet again.

'I think we should fight.' Kirk replied seriously.

'But we're outnumbered four to one. Isn't that a bit unwise?' Uhura pointed out, frowning.

'So? You just took down three of them!'

'Only because I had to, and I caught them off-guard. Remember how fast they are? Plus they can control our minds if they get close enough.' Uhura explained.

'Perhaps if we jump into the battle then our chances of success are lessened' Spock nodded. 'However as you said Lieutenant, you "caught them off guard". So-'

'So if we give them the element of surprise, we can take back control of the ship and use it in the fight against the Yulvokian's!' Kirk responded, finishing the thought.

'I guess it's the only chance we have right now.' Uhura replied.

'So we're agreed, we fight?'

Uhura and Spock both looked at each other, suddenly Uhura just wished it was all over, that they didn't have to fight. But she wasn't a quitter, she _was_ a fighter, and she would continue until the very end. After all, it was for the crew, and they were more than worth it. The look in each other's eyes was all the confirmation they needed. Turning back to their Captain, Spock nodded his head in affirmation.

'We fight.' Uhura replied.

*** To be Continued***

**Ok I'm really not sure how well this one turned out. It's the most romantic scene I've ever written so feedback would be greatly appreciated!!! Please review, it'll make me happy in between writing all those essays that are about to bombard my life (aaah!!! Nooo!) and recovering from my cold. Once again, please review!!! (^_^)**


	12. Regain

**Hi guys! I'm back after a long delay, I'm sorry for the extemely overdue update! I haven't been able to write in such a long time, the first year of university has taken up so much time, and any time I do get to write- I use to work on an original novel, so fanfiction did take a backseat. Also I had the most incredible writers block for this story (I'm not so good with the action scenes I think, my forte is more on the emotional side of writing) but I'm back now, and there are only two more chapters. I'm off for Easter holiday's for a whole month so I promise to try and update much quicker than last time, despite the fact that my work load is so heavy!**

**Disclaimer: The only thing I own Star-Trek wise, is my idea behind this story...and the dvd**

**Enjoy! And please, please, please review! You have no idea how encouraging and inspiring it is to get a good review (^_^)**

Chapter 11- Regain.

_This will work, this will work...this won't work...this is so not going to work!_ Uhura fought hard not to start hyperventilating from her hiding place, next to the door to the recreation room. She glanced over towards Kirk and Spock, hiding on the other side. Kirk's plan was to take out the three Yulvokian's in the rec room out first and then proceed to the engineering room. Next to her, Spock could sense her tension and sent her waves of calm. She did feel a lot more reassured in his presence, knowing that Spock really was in front of her alive, meant that it really was true that her friends were all alive too. The fact that if they succeeded in their mission, their lives would be back to what they once were filled Uhura with a fire, a joy, a confidence that she had not known for a long time. Yet, she was still afraid. After all what if they failed?

However once she thought about the Yulvokian's and what they had done to her precious crew members, and the ship that she had worked so hard to earn her place on, anger rose like bile in the back of her throat. She had deliberately and torturously avoided the man she loved for three whole years so that she could earn her place fairly. Keep to the rules, so that they could both know that her place on the Enterprise was due solely to her endless hard work and nothing more. They had taken all that away from her, taken her loved ones, made her die a thousand deaths, made someone who was now one of her closest friends nearly collapse under the weight of his own guilt. They had done that.

And they were going to pay.

But with Kirk's idea about using himself as live bait, so that she and Spock could ambush the Yulvokian's? Revenge didn't seem likely. But he was the Captain again, if he wanted to kill himself, Uhura couldn't change that. It was his decision, the idiot.

'You guys are ready right?' Kirk murmured looking from his Commander to his Lieutenant.

'Affirmative, Captain.' Spock whispered coolly. Even his voice made her heart flip like she was a Cadet with a crush again. _Focus, Uhura, for goodness sake!_

'As ready as I'll ever be.' Uhura replied raising her laser up to chest level. This was it; this was the beginning of the stupidest plan in the entire known universe. Uhura prayed to every god she could think of, Earth-based and beyond, that it would actually work.

'Ok, here we go, you two hide around that corner and be ready because once they realise who I am-'

'We know! Just do it already!' Uhura hissed, the tension making her snap at him before turning around and stalking down the hallway, Spock hot on her heels (she could practically feel his raised eyebrow at her impatience) as they hid around the corner.

'Do you really think this will work?' Uhura asked as she peered around the corner, watching Kirk attempt to dim the hall lights using one of the manual switches in the wall.

'Based on my internal calculations, I believe the likelihood of this plan actually succeeding to be a probability of one hundred thousa-'

'You know what? I'd rather not know.' Uhura cut Spock off, trying very hard not to inhale his scent, as he was right behind her- also peering around the corner- his broad chest pressed against her slight, slim shoulder. She knew if she smelt him, she would definitely not be able to resist jumping on him right then and there. And that, although it would be hot, would hardly be appropriate. It was also severely impair their ability to fight. A bizarre scenario of Spock and herself having passionate reunion sex, whilst Kirk was running around like a headless chicken being chased by the Yulvokian's, entered her mind briefly. _Yes, definitely would be better to concentrate on the Captain's stupid plan _she thought. Still she couldn't deny there was electricity crackling in the atmosphere around them, a tension that hadn't been felt since the bygone days spent in his office at the academy, long before they had come together. Uhura shook her head, finding it slightly harder to get into Lieutenant-mode then she used to, but attributed this to being out of practice. 'Besides even if it is a slim, tiny, miniscule chance, it's still a chance that we've got- so we might as well take it.' She thought aloud.

'A mantra I believe the Captain lives by religiously.' Spock replied dryly. Lord how she had missed that wit.

'Huh, I guess you're right.' Uhura blinked, all this time she thought only she had had an influence on him 'Well we have spent a lot of time with each other, maybe some of his mantra's rubbed off on me.'

'I see.' Was all she got as a collected response, what she felt through their bond however was something different entirely. Something he quickly tried to hide from her but too late, the damage was done, she had felt it. _Was that a little Vulcan jealousy? Oh Professor Spock tut tut. _Uhura thought grinning to herself.

Just then the lights dimmed significantly; there was a crack of electricity and a fairly loud curse which Uhura (rolling her eyes) took as a sign the Kirk was ready to go. He looked towards them, and raised his now silhouetted arm to signal the official start of what Uhura had affectionately named _Dumb Plan Alpha. _

Kirk stepped up to the door, took a deep breath, and knocked seven times with a catchy, cocky beat. Uhura could see his lips moving in the light, why was he mumbling to himself? It seemed he was counting, but why? This wasn't part of the plan- wasn't he supposed to knock, wait until he heard them approaching, and then run? What on Earth was he doing?

Uhura's questions were answered rather abruptly and in a horrifying manner when Kirk, lifting his fist to the door, banged on it violently and yelled 'HELLO-OOOO, PIZZA DELIVERY.'

Uhura's jaw dropped to the ground but before she had time to react to the utter imbecilic actions of her friend and Captain, the three Yulvokian's came bursting through the door and Kirk was bolting towards them yelling 'GO, GO, GO!'

In actuality it was rather easy to hit them with the stun then Uhura had first presumed. The Yulvokian's were obviously so blind sighted from the shock of having Kirk bellow like a Pizza delivery man on steroids, (to be honest Uhura felt through their bond that even Spock was having trouble recovering from that one) that they were completely unprepared to fight and this gave them a distinct advantage. So, in essence, Captain's plan, despite the utter stupidity of it, had some underlying hints of genius. And it was certainly effective. So like that old saying stated perhaps there was method in his madness (or idiocy in the Captain's case)?

'Ok now what? We've still got to take down however many are left in the Engineering room. I think there are about five or six maybe.' Uhura replied wiping her sweat covered brow.

'Help me with these guys here.' Kirk replied gruffly, as he half-lifted one of the unconscious Yulvokian's and began removing his robes.

'Captain, may I inquire as to what exactly our next course of action is?' Spock repeated Uhura's question.

'And why the hell you're stripping that Yulvokian maybe? Seriously, if you could give us a clue, that would be super.' Uhura placed a hand on her hip, feeling a little bit fed up of the Captains rash actions. Clearly he was out of practice too.

'Well obviously, in order to give the element of surprise we can't do the same thing we did last time, because there are more people.' Kirk explained impatiently, as if it should be "obvious" what his next plan would be. How he hadn't realised by now that nobody would ever figure out the workings of his mind was a mystery to Uhura.

_Thank every God in the universe I don't have to EVER go through THAT again._ Uhura thought breathing a sigh of relief. However, Uhura had clearly relaxed too soon, unaware of what the Captain had in store as a replacement plan.

'So we're going to disguise ourselves as Yulvokian's and ambush them from within.' Kirk finished grinning like he'd just beaten the Kobayashi Maru.

Uhura's reaction was less than favourable.

'Are you INSANE?!' she cried 'for one thing, these Yulvokian's communicate using telepathy, they're going to notice if their friends brain waves have suddenly magically changed.'

'I agree Captain; this plan has even less likelihood of succeeding then your previous unorthodox method of defeating the Yulvokian's.' Spock agreed, and Uhura was relieved there was at least one sane person in the room other than herself.

'Look, the Engineering room is a big place; I'm just saying if we sneak into the room in disguise, we have a greater chance of ambushing them because if they randomly pass us by, they won't be able to see it's us.'

'That does make it more probable that the plan will succeed, and I see no other option that we could make, apart from perhaps locking them in the Engineering room until Starfleet come to our aid.'

'That's a good idea Spock! Hey listen, do you think if Uhura and I bide you some time that you can override the control panel and seal the door shut?'

'I do believe that is possible Captain.'

'And what if our Yulvokian buddies want to stop and have a nice chat huh? I'm sure they'll get suspicious once we start cowering on the floor clutching our heads in agony.' Uhura argued getting increasingly aggravated as the conversation went on.

'Well that's just a risk we've got to take, now come on let's get into these robes.' Kirk replied finally yanking the robes off of his Yulvokian. But Uhura was finally fed up.

'Alright listen here farm boy!'

'Farm boy?' Kirk blinked slack-jawed.

'If you want to ensure that we both die why don't you just take that gun right there, and just shoot me in the head? Seriously this sounds completely suicidal! I'm telling you there is no way, NO WAY, that I am doing this, NO WAY!'

***

_Damn Vulcan persuasive powers with their stupid calm demeanours getting me into these moronic suicide missions!_ Uhura thought bitterly hitching the hood of her robes over her head._ I can't believe I'm going to die before I get to hear Chekov attempt to say nuclear vessels again, or McCoy cursing out a patient for managing to get a laser gun stuck up their you-know-what, or Sulu pretending like he's not the biggest lightweight in the Universe at one of Scotty's drinking games, or before Spock and I get to have a proper reunion...DAMN KIRK! DAMN HIM AND HIS ABILITY TO BE A GENIUS AND A TOTAL IDIOT AT THE SAME TIME! I ALWAYS KNEW YOU'D BE THE DEATH OF ME JAMES TIBERIUS KIRK!_

'Ok we'll go in and try to stun the others without them all noticing at once, and then we'll come out once you've given us the signal that you're able to lock the door, and wait for Starfleet to come and formally arrest them and their ship. Then we'll go to the Spaceport for repairs and wake up the others.' Kirk said to Spock, looking both like a kid at Christmas and a Cadet due to sit an exam. Uhura thought that if she opened her mouth, she might throw up a little. _Be strong, be strong what was it McCoy once told me when I was scared before my first surface mission? Oh right "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what." where's that from? Oh yeah, To Kill a Mockingbird. And it's completely true to this day._ Thinking academically, and about the old, sage words of wisdom given to her by the cranky doctor (and of course, Harper Lee) gave her strength that it had once given her and once she had taken a deep breath, she felt even more confidence.

'Good luck Captain, Lieutenant.' Spock said nodding to each of them in turn, holding his gaze with Uhura just that bit longer, before turning to one of the control panels next to the door. And with that started, Kirk and Uhura readjusted their scratchy robes and, with deep shuddering breaths, went inside the engineering room.

As they walked silently amongst the great long pipes and the heavy mechanisms, side by side, Uhura decided that this random walking was far too tense for her liking. Knowing at any moment, a Yulvokian could come out from one of the pipes and that would be it, their cover would be blown- was causing her very insides to quake in fear. But she decided to focus on her footsteps- still being aware of her surroundings- yet at the same time going back to the calming methods she had used whilst running. _Breathe, step, breathe, step, follow your feet, breathe, step, left, right, breathe._

As she was following this steady rhythm, Kirk nudged her ever so slightly. She peered at him through her shadowed hood as he gestured silently to their right, where two Yulvokian's were standing with their back towards them. Understanding what he meant she covered him, one hand inside her cloak, resting on her laser gun. She kept a look out as Kirk snuck over to the Yulvokian's and stunned him quickly before they had a chance to react. The hum of the pipes thankfully muffling the sound the shots made.

'What do we do, should we just leave them here?' Uhura whispered as they crouched down to check the Yulvokian's pulses- which probably wouldn't have helped anyway considering they knew next to nothing about Yulvokian biology.

'Yeah sure, why not?' Kirk replied in a dulcet tone determining that they were sufficiently knocked out and would be so for quite some time.

'What if one of the other's finds them passed out?'

'We'll cross that bridge when we get to it I guess.'

'Are you seriously just making things up as you go along?' Uhura whispered in disbelief.

'Hi I'm James. T. Kirk have we met?' Kirk replied standing up along with Uhura. She couldn't see it, but she could tell he had a cocky grin on his face, and she shook her head in response.

'You are unbelievable you know that?' She said rolling her eyes as they peered around the corner to check the coast was clear.

'According to most girls, yup.'

Uhura knew the mission was life or death, but that still didn't stop her from turning around and giving Kirk a good slap around the head.

It seemed that Spock still hadn't been able to override the locking system for the engineering room, so they had no choice but to keep going and find the rest of them. They couldn't risk just leaving them awake and locking them in there, they might be able to re-override the system and unlock the door somehow.

The next Yulvokian was easy to take down, further in and to their left, so Uhura- as she was closest- took him down. And like the others, they just left him there. This, to Uhura, was starting to seem too easy. In fact, she was starting to hope that maybe this doubly stupid plan could work after all.

But of course that would have been too simple.

It was just as they were doubling back on themselves, roughly around the area where Scotty had once nearly drowned; that they saw the remaining to Yulvokian's standing together. Kirk looked at Uhura, and she nodded- ready to cover him once more.

It was once again one of those moments in which time seemed to slow down. As Kirk pulled out his gun, the lights dimmed- signalling that Spock was ready to lock the door. It was just as that happened that one of the Yulvokian's turned and noticed Kirk standing there with the gun- and in that split second, their cover was broken.

'KIRK!'

It was a confusion of shots that missed the targets, instead cracking a few pipes- steam bursting forth from the tiny cracks jetted out and hit the Yulvokian's, giving Kirk and Uhura and advantage. In a few seconds they had decided, risk or no risk, they had to get out now. The element of surprise- the advantage they had clung so desperately- was gone. And they had no choice but to run.

They didn't have much time before the Yulvokian's recovered and they would be hot on their heels due to their super speed, and so the bolted. Racing down the thin walkways, up the steps they had gone down previously. They heard the Yulvokian's behind them and so they began screaming to Spock to get ready to lock the door. Uhura's heart was in her throat, her chest was pounding. It seemed the door was so close and yet so far, an eternity away. The Yulvokian's were obviously behind them, they weren't going to make it! She could feel a hand reaching out to grab her robes-

Kirk dove out first, followed swiftly by Uhura and as soon as they were out the door closed Spock made sure it was locked tight, turning toward the two lying of an ungraceful heap on the floor. But something was wrong, and Spock noticed immediately, something was very, very wrong.

'Ok...that's...over.' Kirk panted. 'Thanks for that Spock I-' but he was interrupted when Spock lifted up his own phaser, and fired straight at Uhura's heart. Kirk watched in horror, as Uhura lay on a crumpled heap in the ground, unmoving 'SPOCK WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! UHURA? UHURA!'

Kirk pulled her lifeless form towards him and the cloak fell from Uhura's shoulders. However, instead of revealing the rich mahogany skin of his best friend, his lieutenant, the cold grey-blue skin of an unconscious Yulvokian met his vision.

He looked up to Spock, his mouth open in shock, Spock's eyes wider than he had ever seen them, his lip a thin line as they both realised in horror-

Uhura was trapped on the other side of the door.

Trapped with a fully conscious Yulvokian.

**Ok I know that was mean, but please review. I don't like this chapter as much because of my writers block, but it would be nice to hear something good about it, or even constructive advice if you find fault with it. Thank yooooou!!!! XxXx**


	13. Breathe

**Hi all! I'm back with what is the penultimate chapter of Ghosts! Wow I can't believe it, thank you guys so much for sticking with me throughout (^_^) and reviewing and whatnot. Please continue to R&R, it really inspires me. Don't worry there's still an epilogue, and it will be a full chapter length not an itty bitty one. I'm also thinking of writing a sequel too.**

**So without further adieu, here it is, Chapter twelve, read and enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: Dammit Jim I'm a writer not a person who owns Star Trek! (I had to, I'm sorry XD)**

Chapter 12- Breathe.

Pain erupted against Uhura's back as she was thrown into one of the pipes. Her phaser went skidding across the floor, dropping down the stairs and out of sight. She fell to the floor gasping, tears of pain stinging her eyes- making her vision blurry. Her breath came out in short sharp rasps that were like sandpaper on her throat. She looked up and saw the last Yulvokian advancing over her. _Oh my God this is it, I'm going to die, I always knew you'd be the death of my Jim Kirk!_ Uhura turned her head away from her foe, terror filling her lungs like she was drowning in ice water.

And that's when she noticed, just out of the corner of her eye, a relief valve only slightly out of reach from where she was sitting. It was like a shining beacon of hope and, in a split second decision, Uhura lunged for it. Grabbing the release and pulling as hard as she could, a jet of water burst forth from one of the pipes. It slammed into the Yulvokian with the force of a hundred fire hoses and the Yulvokian went flying backwards hitting the sealed door.

Pulling the valve back into place, she stood up, ignoring the pain in her shoulders. Without even looking to see if the Yulvokian had recovered she ran in the direction her laser had gone to. Leaping down the steps, her now wet hair slapping against her neck, the water trailing down her back made her shiver. On the last step she tripped and fell, landing painfully on her ankle.

Her heart leapt with joy when she spotted her phaser and picked it up, clutching it to her person. Panic reached her when she heard the Yulvokian getting up. Adrenaline guiding her, she ran further down the walkway and turned a corner. When she thought she could run no more, and was in a safe enough place away from her enemy, she collapsed on the cold, hard metal floor gasping. Uhura figured that her safest bet was to hide, she was injured, and she didn't know where exactly the Yulvokian was. At least she had a weapon in case her foe found her. Or perhaps if she saw him first she could ambush him. Plus she was sure that Spock and Kirk would let her know when they opened the door leaving her covered enough so she could make a break for it without being further injured...probably.

All she could do was wait.

***

'Can't you go faster?!'

'I assure you Captain I am performing at maximum efficiency; it takes time to override the system again.'

'How long?!'

Spock ignored his Captain's ramblings and went back to his work, trying not to let the fact that Kirk was nearly having a coronary deter him from the task at hand. Thoughts and feelings about Nyota were not good, if he began to fear for her, he would lose focus. And losing focus meant he had even less of a chance of successfully getting her out of the potentially fatal situation they had put her in to begin with.

He would not allow failure; therefore he would not allow distraction.

***

It took Uhura roughly five seconds to feel too unsettled to stay in her hiding place for so long. So she figured, if she made her way back to the door, and pressed her back against it, she would have better chance of attacking a Yulvokian. _And I can get out much faster once they open the damn door! _Uhura thought gritting her teeth.

The problem in this plan was, of course, getting back to the door without being caught.

Slinking down the walkway closest to the wall, so that she wasn't vulnerable from all angles, she started doubling back on herself. Her phaser was raised, ready to strike at any moment, her breathing low and deep to steady her nerves. The pain was sharp in her back if she inhaled too deep, but she was sure nothing was severely damaged. Her body trembled slightly from the adrenaline.

Turning the corner she peered out into the middle corridor, the way she had fled down- the pathway that Kirk and herself had walked down minutes ago. Had it only been minutes? It seemed like an age. There wasn't a Yulvokian in sight, and Uhura didn't know if this made her feel more or less at ease. She turned her head left to face the steps, only a few paces out of reach, only a few meters ahead was the door.

It might as well have been an eternity away.

Uhura hovered at the corner for a few moments, torn between sneaking up the steps and breaking out at a run. Both had good points and bad, and the more she lingered the more scared she became. It felt as if she were in a childhood nightmare, the evil boogie man lingering in the shadows- out of sight, but still knowing he was there- ready to strike the minute she tried to run.

_Now stop that Uhura_ she thought breathing in and out even deeper to keep a full on panic at bay _he is not a boogie man, he is a carbon-based life form same as myself. Therefore I can and will be able to defeat him even he dares try and attack me again!_

And with an outward glare to reinforce her inner resolve (plus the thought that if she made it out alive she could strangle Kirk for putting her in this situation to begin with) she broke out at a run. Still keeping her footsteps light at the same time, she raced up the steps. Within moments she was flat up against the door, panting like she had run a marathon looking around furiously, pointing her phaser at any object. Any movement, any puff of steam, any shadow, was the Yulvokian coming for her blood.

Yet just on the other side of that door was Spock. She knew he was fighting hard to reverse whatever super-locking system he'd put on the door. Right at that moment, she felt like they were worlds apart again. Uhura gritted her teeth once more as she continued to look down the hall. It just wasn't fair damn it!

Still, any moment now, she knew the door would open. She wouldn't be trapped any more, Starfleet would come and everything would be fine.

Any moment now.

***

'Spock, do you hear that?' Kirk glanced upwards from the spot he was pacing nervously in when he heard an odd kind of whirring noise. Spock however hadn't looked up from his place of work, he was so engrossed. Kirk found this weird, if he had heard it, surely Spock with his superior hearing, would have noticed. 'Spock?'

'Captain please refrain from trying to catch my attention. I cannot afford to be distracted.' Spock replied quickly.

_Ok, love isn't blind, it's deaf apparently_ Kirk thought staring at Spock in a mixture of utter disbelief and great admiration. Still his interest was rising in the odd noise, it made a good distraction from whatever was happening behind that locked door, from his thoughts that if Uhura didn't make it- it would be all his fault.

'Spock seriously I think there's something-' Kirk began but something stopped him in his tracks. Something that made even the immovable statue that was Spock stumble.

The entire ship lurched.

***

_What the hell was that?! _Uhura thought as she grabbed the doorframe, preventing her from falling flat on her face. The ship had just lurched like one of those wonky houses at the fun fairs Uhura went to when she was a child, making her stomach flip horribly. The grip on her phaser, once like iron, loosened as she lunged for some stability on the now unstable ground as the ship lurched a second time, this time more violently.

Then, as the ship stopped moving, and Uhura let go of the door frame, she looked up and her heart stopped cold.

The Yulvokian was three paces away.

Uhura raised her fire arm towards him and fired but it was too late, the Yulvokian moved. She fired again at the spot he was in, he moved again. Damn it he was too quick a target to mark! And now she felt he was just toying with her. She fired shot after shot, barely missing him- but the Yulvokian's far superior speed made it impossible for her to determine where he would be.

The cloaked enemy lunged at her, having decided he had toyed with her enough. Their bodies slammed against the wall and he placed his bony fingers on her shoulder. Her whole body instantly froze. It was as if somebody was filling her lungs with ice. She began to choke her vision became blurry. This wasn't happening, this couldn't be happening, she couldn't die. Not here, not now.

Just as Uhura thought she was about to lose consciousness the ship moved a third and final time. This time dropping so far, like an elevator that had its cable snapped and was now plummeting. Both she and the Yulvokian were thrown into the air for a few terrifying, gravity-less seconds before the ship stopped with a loud banging noise and they both collapsed painfully to the floor.

The door slid open and Kirk and Spock burst into the room. Uhura looked up from the spot where she lay, gasping for breath.

'Uhura!' Kirk cried frozen as they both surveyed the situation. Just then the Yulvokian stirred, about to move, about to strike. Instead it was hit by three stun guns at once, falling to the ground unconscious- never to bother them again.

Uhura moved to an upright sitting position, her bruised back resting against the cold hard steel of the wall as she threw her phaser to the side. She let out a huge sigh of relief and closed her eyes, smiling. That was it, it was all over.

They had won.

'Are you hurt?'

With a soft 'Hmm?' she opened her eyes inquisitively and met the dark, still waters of her lovers eyes as he crouched down beside her, and a warmth spread through her. A warmth that only came with the knowledge that they really were all going to be safe.

'They're just flesh wounds, really easy to heal.' She replied with a genuine smile, not taking her eyes off him. 'No, don't you worry about me Spock, I'm not hurting. Not anymore.'

'Perhaps we should seek medical assistance.' He replied helping to her feet, Kirk scoffed as he wiped his bleeding forehead.

'Oh yeah Bones'll be real happy about that. First thing he does when he wakes up after being kidnapped and sedated for god knows how long? Gets right back to his job, yeah that'll go over well. Let me be there when you tell him please.'

'Never mind that, what do you think all that movement was?' Uhura asked glaring at Kirk in a _I will kill you later_ way.

'I believe it might be one of Starfleet's ships, perhaps- helping us to get to the nearest port for repairs.'

'We're being towed?' Kirk replied both amused and baffled.

'Only one way to find out.' Uhura shrugged.

***

'This is Lieutenant Uhura requesting audio-visual contact with the nearest Starfleet vessel... Captain I have a response from Admiral Pike.' Uhura replied swivelling in her chair back in the main room of the ship.

'Man you really knocked this guy out!' Kirk replied lifting Kolvon's face off the ground, then dropping it hard again as if he were a bouncy ball.

'-Captain.'

'He better not have sat in my chair.' Kirk carried on despite Uhura's calls. Uhura glanced to Spock with a look of disbelief, shaking her head in emphasis. His response was a typical Spock eyebrow raise.

_Yeah you raise that eyebrow mister, and let's see how high I can get them when I can finally get you alone... ugh Uhura focus!_

_But...the eyebrow thing IS sexy. A girl can't deny. Even when she's on duty._

'Captain Kirk' Uhura tried again.

'And there's my chair. Oh how I've missed you.' He carried on, as he sat in his beloved Captains chair once more. Uhura almost didn't want to interrupt his musings, he looked so happy. Happier than she had seen him in all those lonely months when they had just been regular lost civilians. She smiled at the proud look on his face.

'Hey! Jim!' She called. This, finally, got Kirk's attention (and caused Spock's eyebrow to go even higher). 'There's an incoming call from Admiral Pike, shall I put it on screen?'

Kirk nodded and the image of their admiral came up a few moments later, smiling.

'Spock! You had us all worried there! Good to see you boy!'

'And you also Admiral.' Spock replied and Uhura couldn't help but notice him standing more upright in his presence, if that was possible- which apparently it was.

'Just so you know the Yulvokian ship has been apprehended, all of its inhabitants placed under arrest. I'm assuming because you're all able to make this call that everything there is in order too?'

'Yeah, we've taken out all the Yulvokian's on board this ship, just waiting for us to go to the nearest port- then we can wake up all of our buddies and arrest these assholes.' It took all of Kirk's restraint not to leap for joy as he said this. Uhura's smile grew even larger, she felt Spock's happiness and shared her own through their bond. It felt like ice cream on a warm summer evening, safe, comforting.

'We should be docking soon, in which case I leave you with the fact that you guys are nearly home, Pike out.' Admiral Pike replied as the transmission ended.

Uhura looked up at Kirk and Spock, and then at her surroundings. The cool, slick whiteness, the thousands of blinking lights, and a large window once displaying Pike's face, now showing them a view of space, a billion stars, as they travelled back to port so could revive the great U.S.S Enterprise and its crew members- their family.

_No Pike you're wrong. _Uhura thought as an inexplicable happiness burst within her as she once again caught Spock's eye _we are home._

**So what did you think? Reviews pleases? By the way the sequel to this would be a lot more lighthearted, more comical (^_^)**


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